The Sun. — London, England, 1863-11-21 00:00:00

M ESSRS. JAY and CO. have row on show the most unique and perfect assortment of BONNETS, which their Manager has selected in Paris, and bro t u, back with her tot hitablishment. 17, 249 251, Regent-street. BONNET'S SILKS s,LYON.—Every Article of commerce takes its title either from the inventor or manufac.turer, and the more perfect the production the gr-ester is the credit which attaches to the originator. BONNET'S SILKS are said to be incapable of identifica tion in England; but the fallacy of such an assertion is ex pos, d by the very trade mark ot'the lirm, as exhibited by Messrs. JAY, of Regent-street. The following interwoven mark may be seen at the end of each piece : —" Manutacture de C. J. Bonnet et Cic., it, Lyon st aI nj urieulc." Wear guaranteed. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. Under the Manazement of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. IV. Ilarrisom THIS EVENING, for the first time, Rilfe's new Opera„ BLANCH": DE NEVE RS Miss Louisa ryne, Miss Acts: I. Hiles, Miss Emma Heywood; Messrs.W. H. Weiss, 11. Corr A. Look, A. .:t. Albyn, C. Ly.ilL J. Rouse, and W. Harrison - - Conductor, Mr. A. Mellon. Doors open at half-past Six— 'ommence at Seven. 1 11 R EATRE ROYAL DRU ItY - LA: NE. - Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chati,erton. THIS EVENING. her Majesty's Servants will perform a New and Original Farce, by Messrs. Wm Brourrh and A. Halliday, entitled MY HEART'S IN THE HIGH_ LANDS: characters by Mr. J. Neville. Mr. G. Weston, Mr. Warde, Mr. J. Marris ; Mrs. C. Melville, and Miss Harfleu r. After which, Lord Byron's Choral Tragedy, MA.:NFRED. Messrs. t helps, Ryder, Rayner, Meag,reson, Ward, Spencer ; Miss Eburne, Miss E. Atkinson, Miss Leclercq, and M Circely s. E. Falconer. Vocalists — Miss Poole, Miss hitter, VC iss Nott, Miss Heywood, and Mr. Swift. To conclude with an Original Farce, by J. o.xenford, Esq., entitled BEAUTY Olt THE BEAST. Pruacipal cha racters by Messrs. Addison, G. F. Neville, Barret, Spencer and G. Weston; Mrs Edmund Falconer and Miss Leclerq, THEATRE ROYAL HAY NI AR . K.ET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVENING, SILKEN FETTE ttS : Measrs. Chaq. Mathews, Chippendale, W. Farren, Howe, &c. ; Mesdames C. Mathews and 31. Harris. Followed by TRE GOL DEN FLEECE. Messrs. Charles Mathews, Compton,Weathersby,&c. ; Mesdames C. Mathews, L Keeley. Griffith, Sic. F o llowed by COOL AS A CUCUMBER. Mr. C. Mathews. G- tiOST. And MY Co HUSBANDS C o mmence at 7. -------- RAY LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fec ll h b e ter. repeated BEL DE NIONIO ( a Triumphant Success) wi Every Evenino• until further notice. THIS EVENING, the Comedietta, by W. Gilbert, entitled UNCLE BABY: Mess a. Widdicombe, J. G. Shore, Charles Mi s s P. Lecler c q . and Carlotta Leclercq. ; After which, at Eight o'clock, BE L DENIONTO, a Love St o ry, in Tw elve Tableaux, taken from Stendhal's "Ita:i Chronicle ." by Mr. John Brougham. principal charac ter by Mr. F echter, supported by Messrs. Jordan, Charles Broug ham, Emery , Raymond, Moreland, Smith, Clifford,, collect, Andrews, Sims ; Miss Kate Terry, E. L ayentie, ,lirs. Lee, and Miss Elsworthy. Doors open at half-past 6—commence at 7. JE A H.-EVERY NIGHT. J Ew THE A rRE-R0 YAL, ADELPHI.- sok, Pronrlator and bianaaer, Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, at 7, THE TRAGEDY QUEEN : Mrs. 6.t 8, the New Drama of LEAH : 7th weed of Miss Bate man, supported by Messrs. Arthur Stirling, R. Phillips, Stuart, A Wood, Eburne, Miss 11. Simms and Mrs. To conclude with CATCHING AN HEIRESS : Miss Woolgar and Mr. A. Wood. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING., MY SON'S A DAUGHTER. Miss Josephs, Mr. Parselle. After which, MIRIAM'' , CRIME. Messrs. G. Honey, Parselle, Rißord, Turner, Miss K.Saville, and Miss Handers. Followed by I VANIIOE. Miss Ada Swanborough. To conclude with A INT HEART NE VER WON FAIR L ADV. Mr. Leigh Murray, ➢liss Button, Commence at 7. T" THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," Containing' the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, :an be had Every Evening of G. R. GI.I4:NIE. NEws AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. This UDA.Y.—Norting, 10h. 40m.—Afternoon, 11h. 14m. li7o-mohnow.-Morning, klh. 45m.—Afternoon, —m. The Weather—Sun Office, Nov. 21, 1863. THERMOMETER. This day;at Two o'clock Barometer-29.77.' Wind—South ; light, and fine. t,-4410z3 ok„ biz, )1.111, LONDON, SATURDAY, NOV. 21, 1863. Elsewhere in our impression of this evening will be found given in its entirety the whole of the nineteenth chapter of Mr. WARREN'S Introduction to Law Studies. We have thus transferred to our columes the whole of this impressive and remark able argument in regard to Military Justice, because it appears to us, in every syllable of it, especially apropos at the present moment, while the proceed ings are actually going forward from day to day in connexion with the Court Martial upon Colonel CRAWLEY, of the Inniskilling Dragoons, down at Aldershot. The learned Recorder of Hull, who is the author of this comprehensive handbook to the whole complicated machinery of Engiish jurisprudence, to the leading prin ciples of the profound science upon which it is founded, and to all the winding intricacies of the general scheme of its organisation, has in himself, in thl, ent of hi s studies, in the range of his profes sional Practice and experience, peculiar qualifica tions enablin g him to speak with authority upon what i s • , la truth, an exquisitely delicate branch of the ad ministrati on the of the law, As the closing por tion of nineteenth chapter of the " Introduction to Law Studies" b here re f erre d t o w ill serve t o re call to the remembrance of those by whom the cir cumstance itself have been either for gotton or ove r l ook ,: well considered project for the emendation of the laws relating to the sys tem alike of military a n : n aval Courts Martial had a l re ady been submitted, b WARREN to the cons ideration of parliament, Mr. by hi 2d B was actually in a was let but energetic course of being prepared wh en h : tr. the outline of a substantial enactment, abruptly closed career as M.P. for Midhuret by the incident of his professional(.2olol34 of the Otherwise, very probably, the Innis killing Dragoons now undergoing his t t ria. butthis.s .. peers, according to the old tedious bungling system e of Courts Martial, would have been arrai gued Y be t f : e a tribunal not ajot more honourable of courbethauthe one before which he is at this present writin g f or_ many placed, but at any rate before one more lik e l y, by the very scheme of its arrangement, to have facie litated the administration of justice, and to have guarded effectually against the perpetual recurrence of anomalies, such as, under the existing system of organisation, may be pronounced nothing less than inevitable. Under any circumstances, we cannot for one instant imagine that a trial so remark able of its kind as this one in regard to Col. CRAWLEY of the lnniskillings—no matter what the judgment pronounced at the close of it may eventually turn out to be—can by any possibility fail to lead the way to some few at least among the numerous reforms workin g recognised as requisite in regard to the of our system of Courts Martial. What ever may the . Consequences of the present Court Martial n reference to the officer now undergoing the bitterness of a very lengthened and very public trial before looted general good at least may be confidently forward to as certain, or at any rate as all but certain, with or later, to result w from it. It is, therefore, ha n especial significance that we are now desir ous of directing thus pointedly the attention of the general public to the most im pressive argu ment anywhere discoverable, we believe, among all the writin gs of ou r law r eformer s,• in favour of a thorough and searc hing revision of that portion of the law relating to the administra tion of justic e through the medium alike o f Naval and of Military Courts Martial. And it is peculiarly worthy of remark, in rEgarel to the argument th us put forth by Mr. WARREN, in this vitally important chapter of his " Introduction to Law Studies,' that it is one which, though brief in its ex- 1 tent, is wonderfully suggestive of beneficial char iges, more particularly in the latter portion of i t. The learned author does not, it will be seen, in f ray way content himself with indulging in mere va , cue generalities, no matter how eloquently or en Lphatically expressed. He enumerates, catego ri tally and with the utmost precision, the principal oints in regard to which the existing system of ' L.7ourts Martial most urgently requires modification. Interrupted, himself, in a noble and generous endeavour to carry out this important section of our law reforms, the ex-member for Miclhurst has at any rate pointed the way out with manly distinctness to any one who may choose to follow in his footsteps, and, not only that, but to any one who may choose, also, to advance boldly and, energeti cally beyond the point at which, through the force of circumstances, those footsteps of Nix. WARREN, as a law reformer, abruptly termina',ed. Among the varying aspects of the Lancashire distress, not the least serious and important which it assumed in the eyes of our statesmen and philan thropists was its effect upon the public health. Long continued privation has, we know, a disastrous action upon the human frame, and when to this is added depression of mind, inaction, and anxiety, the combination is enough to try the stoutest and healthiest frame. It was no secret, too, that our Lancashire mill hands did not by any means belong to the class of the strongest. The incessant factory work for many generations had dwarfed their growth and enfeebled their limbs, while the lack of exercise was ill supplied, even by the good living and plentiful wages they were able easily to earn. The towns and districts where they lived were not, as we know from recent reports, properly or effi ciently drained or paved. They were ill built, too, in many quarters where the workpeople were con tent to huddle, so as to be near their place of employment. When Filch a people were suddenly reduced from ease and prosperity to low diet and scanty clothing, their very subsistence dependent on charity, gloom all around and before, their little savings spent, their household goods gone, and idleness and want cowering like two grim spectres by their hearths, almost the first question that rose to the mind of the reflective observer was naturally what would become of these vast numbers should scarcity be followed by its dire companion—pesti lence ? Thanks, firstly, to PROVIDENCE, and, humanly speaking, to the extreme mildness of last winter, and the continuous liberality of all classes towards the distressed districts, that great calamity has hitherto been averted, and what is a fur ther cause of gratitude and rejoicing, the hard times have as yet produced no perceptible difference upon the general health. " The history of the distress," says the Registrar-General in ono of his reports, " is not written in the death registers of the year that is closed" (1862). On another occa sion the same high authority states that "It will be gratefully admitted that the legal provision for the distress and the spontaneous liberality of their countrymen have hitherto sufficed to maintain the people in health." This was written in April, 1863, when the winter was fairly over, and the passage is quoted with considerable satisfaction by the Central Executive Committee in their last re port to the General Committee. The same docu ment tells us that the Central Committee, feeling the ground that there was for uneasiness respecting the general health, have carefully watched for any indications of impaired vigour and vitality in the people, and have closely examined the returns of the Registrar-General and those of the Local Sanitary Associations. We have cited some of the passages in which the subject has been mentioned by the former, while the testimony of Mr. PURDY, of the Statistical Department of the Poor Law Board, comprises those statements. The latest report of the Registrar-General, in commenting on the in creased mortality throughout England, states that the two primary causes are scarlatina and diarrh C 133, but adds that they are widely diffused over the country, and that'' Lancashire did not suffer more than most parts, and less than some." Moreover, in these returns the suffering county is able to bear a favourable comparison with Yorkshire, and the united evidence of the medical officers of the unions throughout the cotton districts is entirely in accordance with thisgratifying intelligence. In Ashton-under-Lyre alone, in which the dis tress has been exceptionally great and pro longed, do the medical officers report a tone of health so low as to retard convalescence in cases of illness. The satisfaction with which this intelligence is read will be universal, and not the least sensible of it will be the members of that committee, whose indefatigable labours have so greatly contributed to the mitigation of the distress. With the usual practical sense and prudence which distinguish their proceedings, however, the com mittee are not disposed to relax their precautions on account of the danger having been so far safely averted. They caution the various committees of the relief districts, where want of employment and consequent distress are still general, that it will be necessary to ba prepared for a winter of greater severity. Fuel and clothing are, of course, the two great necessities, and it will be requisite that these shall be freely supplied to every family which has been long dependent on relief. Further steps are also considered desirable with a view to the remote consequences of so long a period of depression, and the committee therefore recommend various sanitary precautions to the local authorities; ' the observance of which will, we may hope, be further encouraged by the public works now actively in preparation. Meanwhile the statistics of labour aro altogether encouraging, although the report wisely cautions the committee against reckoning too securely on the continuance of the present amount of employment, 'Lila warns it to prepare for increased demands Pon its resources during the inclement months of the coming th e rs,c.,. winter. "Every month of 1863," says erepio v ym 7 . 3 ... ' has been marked by the increase of digenee. :ul l and wages, and the diminution of in statistics Own resets% January of t e ll s ; ,2sß,sere are now, according to the latest under such ho p Year , ' au than £375,000 help, besides the hop ' s increased supply of cotton sayteanialsr2oore persons dependent on their o s o c O o m tisfil o da r e e s in full work, than in Starting in the winter months in ba nd , besides with a balance of more large promises of nex e t ntly held out of an deed, trust, under GOD, that the told us that theN"Corat.i3- Ill'haessreed: is something yet for m ne t e t d tee hop© lint there s t h ti,e a r v e e already ports within their own districts. to be able to rain wh , a r t h f e ut p iil ti s i3 t . h h e eyla: ay need Y ask from III:: vi d : may, in - those out of reach of the distress is war m Clothing for tl:e men employed in the unaccustomed t ask of outdoor labour. If the winter be severe, as is fore told, the change will indeed be great, from the h ot and crowded mill rooms, while spare diet and long depression are by no means the bestagtheentsfor" keeping out the cold." This is all that Com mittee ask, and surely they will not ask in vain ; but we would go a step further. These workmen have families—so have others unfit or unneeded for their tasks. The cold blasts of winter will pierce through their scantily furnished rooms, where fire is a thing of luxury to be sparingly and carefully used. Cannot the thousands who provide them selves at this season with warm an comfortabl THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER, 21, 1863. clothing spare some of their last winter's garments for these. The fashion of our day forbids a lady to be seen in scanty or shabby attire. Nevertheless, as quaint, old JEREMY TAYLOR justly remarks, one man may be made richly fine and warm by what another is ashamed to walk in. On this principle, with little cost or care, the bare limbs of the Lan cashire little ones may be warmly and safely clad, and the Lancashire mothers who, as the statistical reports, as well as all human nature have told us, are the ng added d greatest de d tow a sufferers,nt and d y c e a s r c e a . p e the distress of cold beld Mr. CAVE, M.P. for Shoreham, has made a very amusing speech at Bristol, and contrived to elicit mirth and point a moral from some striking cir cumstances that have occurred in the policy of his political opponents. It must be confessed that the Liberal cause does net escape scatheless from the hon. member for Shoreham. At all events the Con ! servatives may claim the credit of having the best of the argument, when consistency in conduct or fixedness of purpose is discussed in assemblies. The shuffling policy and scrambling for power which have of late years so characterised the chiefs of the Liberals, and been referred to by them in exulta tion afterwards as proofs of their popularity and trophies of their success, has in reality undermined their influence most considerably. It is a question if it be not more dignified to remain in retirement than to court publicity after this fashion. At all 'events, it has been the lot of the present adminis tration pretty frequently to fall under the censure of some critical adversaries, and to be subjected to the sarcasm of one or more ruth less observers. In the instance referred to wemeet with a most entertaining summary of the clap-trap and double-dealing which rules most frequently the game of expediency which is being played out in high quarters. Mr. CAVE denounced with just indignation the tricks of policy which obtained among his opponents in 1859. He asked with scorn where was the measure of reform which was declared to be so much needed, and so incomparably superior to that of Lord DERBY. The present Go vernment assumed power for two reasons—to amend the state of the representation and to adopt a better policy in the direction of foreign affairs. How have they fulfilled their self-imposed duties, may well be asked, and considering the vehement denunciation of their adversaries, and the loud self gratulation that accompanied their advent to power, the inquiry ought to be strictly instituted, and the verdict an impartial one. Considering the present prospect of affairs it can hardly be expected that any but the most devoted adherent or exclusive partisan will cite their foreign policy as a triumph ant refutation of the charges of inefficiency and groundless boasting that have been brought against the last coalition Ministry. As Mr. CAVE truly remarked, " Have we not heard of a certain Secre tary of State who passes the week in writing little homilies to Sardinia, to Denmark, to Russia, and other Powers, and has he not been met each time with something like a slap in the face for imperti nent meddling." Nothing can be too severe to ex press in adequate terms the folly and mischief of the missive which the Foreign Secretary forwarded in relation to Schleswig-Holstein. In a great mea sure he is to blame for much of the evil that has already occurred, and also far the still greater con fusion that will most probably ensue henceforth in regard to this vexed question. Then with respect to America, how apt is the definition of Mr. CAVE that " infirmity of purpose" makes it appear as if we were afraid of the Federals. Certainly with one thing and another, England is fast losing the proud position that she once held of being in a great mea sure the arbiter of the destinies, and the referee in the 'vital questions that refer to the Government of other States. Who can deny the correctness of Mr. CAVE'S assertion that at any period of political anxiety, or any season of particular excite ment and interest in public affairs, every one asks " What line the French EMPEROR will take ?" This is scarcely the correct thing to take place, and it must be confessed that with all the criticism and the hard sayings that abound in that direction the Emperor NAP 0- LEO.N has succeeded in gaining a prestige for his foreign policy that our Cabinet miserably failed to obtain. 'Whatever be his errors, he has something bold to do or to say, while we seem content with vague despatches ; and what energy survives un crushed from the influence of the peace-at-any price party in the Cabinet is expended in the seizure and prosecution of the property of English subjects who offend powerful and honoured allies. Still more cutting were Mr. CAVE'S home-thrusts at the renegade home policy of Government which has disgusted the great Liberal party whose cause they avow they adopt, and whose interests they declare that they serve. Hz mentioned two remarkable instances of would-be reformers at home and abroad who were caught in the toils of the official dodgers, and now abjured their former zealous notions. One was the Junior Lord of the Admiralty, who was foremost in denouncing the insufficiency of Minis terial measures until he was induced to join the ranks of those whose errors he saw so plainly at a distance. The other example was a more notable one. Ni g h t a f ter n i g h t he vehement l y d enounced the policy of Ministers in their supineness regard ing the annexation of Savoy. There was eloquence in his language and soundness in his views; but after a short time a change came over the spirit of his dream. To use tho descriptive language of the hon. member for Shoreham, " a string is pulled somewhere, the impassioned orator sinks through a political trap-door, and rises Chief Secretary for Ireland." There is sober truth as well as amusing simile in these entertaining sketches, and perhaps they contain the secret of the great decadence that has taken place of late in what is called by courtesy the Liberal party. The reason why these mixed up Governments, composed of in congruous elements, obtain so firm a hold among a party that professes to discard them is because both sides look to selfish ends first, and then attempt to servo their cause and their country afterwards. Members consider the Ministers .as the dispensers of patronage, and not as the trustees of the nation's honour, the guardians of the people's rights, and the adjustors of the liberties of a mighty empire. So long as the most violent and vehement reformers will, like Mr. BRIGHT, become mute because parties change sides in the House, not because measures are meted out to the country, it is quite idle for the wise and the learned to discuss the dangers of a Conservative Administration, and the fearful fate that would then await the country. Suppose the Cabinet of Lord DERBY had remained in power, they could hardly have done less than nothing, which is all that the most devoted adherent to the pr esen t G overnment can claim as their per formances. Mr. CAvE concluded by a lively made during the asile:atettheanrelgogarindainhgantdh,ealbtoaglleotth,ere,vhtihcoh hon, m m e o m re . consisted in its er ci ber natty e o congratulated on having delivered One of t t, his animate the most brilliant addresses that have been recess. The force of his satire iu isenibance, and there was much animated discourse to afford food for the who notes the eve nts philosopher to while the sober observer, day, might well of , and r ea lity b egan wonder where romance ended in the series of life sketches Qua the political notabilities put b e f ore Portraits of hlto in so brilliant a style and dashing a manner, LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) DESPATCH OF THE CZAR'S ,REPLY TO THE CONGRESS PROPOSITION, BERLIN, Nov. 21. The Spenersche Zeitung of to-day announces that an officer of high rank is expected to arrive here on Sunday next, on his way to Paris, the bearer of the autograph reply of the Czar to the invitations of the Emperor Napoleon to the Congress. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 20. The Budget has been officially published. The surplus and other figures are substantially the same as those already made known. The Imperial decree, ordering the publication, proclaims reform and retrenchment as being per mitted by circumstances. The French Ambassador has presented to the Sultan an autograph letter of invitation to the European Congress from the Emperor Napoleon. .............. RUSSIA. ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 21. The Imperial Bank of Russia has announced that the exchange of bills of credit for specie has been suspended for the present. __ POLAND. BERLIN, Nov. 21. Letters received here from Warsaw announce that the National Government has published in an extra edition of the .Niepodleylose four addresses from the Government of Wilna, Wietelisk, Kowno, and Grodnow, bearing 250,000 signatures, protest ing against the expression of loyalty extorted by General Mouravieff, and expressing entiro devotion to the National Government. THE CAPE NAIL PLYMOUTH, Nov. 21. The Union Company's steamship Roman arrived off Plymouth et 2 o'clock this morning with the above mail and 30 passengers. She left the Cape on the 21st ult.; St. Helena, on the 29th; and As cension on the 2d November. It was not likely that anything further would be done at the Cape in the removal of Parliament ques tion until the election of the members of the Legis lative Council in December or January, and of the Assembly in February. The Lymberg Railway will be completed by the end of the year. The weather c on tinued remarkably f avoura b le for agricultu re , an d pro d uce of all kinds was abun dant and cheap. Monetary and commercial affairs were dull, but a steady though limited amount of business was done. There was no material alteration in the price of Eastern province wools, but extensive purchascs had been made in execution of orders for the North American States. Large shipments had gone forward. 0 wing to some recent unpleasant disclosures the banks had been cautious in discounting. Excepting the usual complaints of cattle stealing by the natives on the frontier, all was quiet with the colonists. The British Kaffrarians continued opposed to annexation. The movement in the Free State in favour of re•annexation was extending. FRANCE. PARIS, Nov. 21. The electors of the ninth circumscription of the Cote d'Or are summoned to meet for the election of members upon the 13th and 14th December. The specie held by the Bank of France has risen to 203 million francs in consequence of the purchase of specie to the amount of ten millions. The Coun cil of the Bank has observed that during the last eight days the bills presented for discount have been of a more satisfactory character. They are of shorter date, and appertain to real commerce, and not to bullion dealers, as was previously the case. The Bank, therefore, anticipates an improvement in the state of affairs if no new incident arise. The reply of Russia to the Emperor Napoleon's invitation is expected here in three or four days. Some uneasiness prevails here relative to the possi bility of a conflict upon the Schleswig-Holstein question. BOURSE, Nov. 20.—The market has been rather mote buoyant, and prices have improved, Threes, for the Account, being now at 67f. 40c. Mobilier has also advanced, being now quoted at I,loof. Railway Market quiet, but firm. The market closed as follows :- 4t per Cents. 95 15 Italian Loan 72 10 Do. eud Do. end month 72 30 3 per Cents Do. end month.... 67 40 Do. end mouth — Credit Mobilier....lC97 50 Russian Do. end m0nth....1100 Austrian Bank Shares 3350 Spanish Threes.... Credit I , oneier Home Debt Roman HAIL WAY.S. Cash. Account. 977 50 .. 980 980 980 Orleans Northern New ditto Lyons and Mediterranean New ditto . Geneva Southern ...... Western ........ Eastern Sardinian Austrian Loirbard North of Spain Saragossa. Ditto to Barcelona .... - - 955 - .. 957 50 915 - .. - - 493 75 .. - - 691 25 .. 695 520 - - - 4SB 75 .. 487 50 407 50 .. 406 25 392 50 .. 393 75 525 - .. 527 50 532 50 .. 532 50 630 - .. 630 .. 325 - SPAIN. The Correspondencia of Madrid contains the fol. lowing:—., The conflict in Santo Domingo has be come a war of races. The negroes commit the most atrocious cruelties on any whites that fall into their hands, and burn the towns into which they penetrate, as if they wished to reduce themselves to a savage state. In consequence of that sys tem of devastation, the Spanish troops are not only flgnting against an enemy which flies before them, but are also deprived of shelter and sub sistence. The insurrection is spreading in all the districts, with the exception of the province where General Santana has his relatives, his friends, and property. The General, NNith several battalions of Spaniards,under the orders of Gen. Gondara, is pro tecting the capital, and has proved sufficiently strong to resist and to attack the enemy in case of need. The arrival of the new Captain-General Vargrs has re tored confidence, and the feeling of the troops is still good. Many families have arrived at Porto Rico from Santo Domingo, and among others that of the Captain• General Rivero. In the serious crisis through which Santo Domingo is now passing, 1 believe that the best thing to be done is to state the facts as they really, and the more so that nothing is to be feared eiZher for the honour of the Spanish arms or for the safety of the Spaniards there, the army being supported by a strong fleet." BEIAGIUM. The subject on the crder--,2f the day of the Bel gian Chamber of Representatives the day before yesterday was the discussion relative to the elect tions. At Bruges, the committee having declared through the medium of its reporter, M. Alphonse Nothomb, that its labours were not yet terminated, the Chamber adjourned, sine cl,e, after ordering that all the documents referring to the election should be related, MILITARY JUSTICE, Chapter xix, of' Mr. Warren's Law Studies. Military and naval authorities are very tenacious in re sisting any interference, by " lawyers," wish their adminis trations of justice in courts martial. It has several times been observed by officers, in the author's presence, that, " it is rather hard to be subject to your aws, as well as our own; and besides that, have to submit to your interfererce, , or dictation, in administering our orders, among ourselves." A different view of the case, however, is often taken by an officer who finds himself ordered to stand a general court martial on charges of a serious nature, involving his very existence as an officer and a gentleman—his whole military and social status : or when the destructive sentence of dis missal, or cashiering, has been pronounced, confirmed, pro mulgated, A "lawyer's" assistance is then frequently and eagerly sought for, to conduct the defence at the trial, or advise on the steps to be taken, in order to obviate, or mitigate, the effect of a hostile verdict, deemed unjust or illegal. This is not the place for discussing the excellen cies or detects of the existing administration of military law : though the author has probably had more professional experience on the subject than may fall to the lot of most of his readers; has had opportunities of expressing his views in print, and was engaged in preparing a bill in conformity with them, when he suddenly quitted the House of Commons. All that will be here attempted, is to give the student a general idea of the duties he will have to discharge, if his services should be called for by an officer, imperilled, o r conceiving himself aggrieved, by proceedings ordered by the Commander-in- I Chief. Counsel, under such circumstances, when attending at the trial—before a tribunal brilliant and imposing in ap l i - pearance—feels, in spite of the dignified courtesy exhibited to him on all aides, in a position anomalous, and exqui sitely embarassing, charged—only as the " friend of the prisoner," not of the court—with most serious responsibi lity: fettered and harassed by the court's professed non recognition of him, and the compulsory silence he must observe, on even the most critical and momentous occa sions ; when satisfied that the court is, unawares, going egregiously wrong, and sacrificing the character and honour, dearer infinitely to him than life, of the British officer sitting beside him in mental agony. The stately deliberation with which the proceedings are conducted— questions and answers being in writing, alike in examination in chief, in cross-examination, and re examination, and recorded at the time, not in short hand, but by the pen of the deputy judge advocate sorely tries the temper and patience of one trained to the rapid, efficient, and at the same time decorous conduct of proceedings in the ordinary courts of justice. The "charges" —equivalent to the indictment, in an ordi nary criminal case--are framed, or examined, by the military authorities at the Horse Guards, and, when necessary, under high advice : in order that it may be ascertained that they are such as should be submitted to the cognisance of a court martial, and that there is sufficient evidence to substantiate them. "It is well known," said a high military authority, " by everybody, that in the case of charges brought before a court martial, they are not bound to the technical forma lities which prevail in other courts of law ; but there is this essential principle in every charge, before any court that can exist in the civilised world : that the charge shall be sufficiently specific to enable the prisoner to know what he is to answer, and the court to know what they are called to inquire into." To this it may be added, that, in the language of the great Duke of Wellington, " The proceedings of courts martial are conducted on the principles of the civil law courts, are founded on, in a great measure, and analogous to, the proceedings of the other courts of law." The rules of evidence are those of all the other courts of justice. The first point to be attended to by counsel, attending on these occasions, is to avoid, as far as possible, technical objections, which arc, and naturally, irritating beyond measure to officers intent upon getting at the merits of the case, and hating and disdaining " pettifogging." He must, however, take care not to carry his abstinence too far. Objections founded on the hearsay character of evidence are often indispensable, in order to protect an officer from gross injustice inflicted on him unconsciously, by those not aware of the grounds of the objections to such spurious evidence. Objections, again, to questions as " leading," ce., a question framed so as to suggest a desired answer, are often equal in importance to those aimed at the exclusion of hearsay, but even in our ordinary courts of justice, these ob jections are too often captious and futile, though sustainable in technical strictness. The irrelevancy of particular ques tions, or heads of evidence, is another frequent subject of objection, sometimes taken inconsiderately, and at other times overlooked, and with dangerous consequences—the result being to obscure the real points in issue, and create cruel prejudice. Counsel must therefore always have his eyes fixed on the real issue before the court, and be very vigilant in preventing, as far as practicable, divergence from it. Before a tribunal of gentlemen unversed in such matters, it may be difficult to explain the point and force of such objections, as the differential calculus, or the digamma and to advise an (filler to insist, except on the best grounds, upon such objections before his brother officers, is danger ous in the extreme, When an objection to evidence, or a particular course of procedure is taken, by either the pri soner or the prosecutor, counsel should be prompt, terse, and plain, in his written statement of objection or answer, so as to be easily intelligible to a body of laymen, on its being read out to them. For this purpose he must use his utmost efforts to preserve calm collectedness throughout, and may safely act on the assurance, which is hereby given him as the result of personal experience, that the members of a court martial, though its proceedings may be disfigured occasion ally by irregularity and illegality, as many a judge Adva cate-General can testify, mean to act fairly, honourably, and in accordance with the very letter and spirit of their oath. And here let it be said, with sincere and cordial regard and respect for the British officer, that he is but too apt, when called on to act as a member of a court martial, to entertain Use notion of administering criminal equity. which, however pleasing to his mind, is nevertheless to be sternly shunned and repelled, as, in the words of Ed mund Burke, " in truth, a mistake in jurisprudence." The student may hereafter be called on to cope with this ten dency on occasions most deeply affecting the honour, the status, and even the life of a British officer. We are told that Dr. Johnson, talking of a court-martial sitting on a very momentous public occasion, "expressed much doubt of an enlightened decision; and said that perhaps there was not a member of the court who, in the whole course . of his life had ever spent an hour by himself in balancing probabilities." Counsel, again, must be exceedingly careful net to put questions of an offensive or derogatory character to wit nesses, or indulge in comments of that kind, in framing the prisoner's defence—unless it be absolutely unavoidable ; and questions should be couched in courteous terms. It is vain to deny that a legal "friend" is too generally looked at with jaundiced eyes by members of all courts martial, and regarded as an unwelcome intruder, come to dictate to officers and gentlemen—to teate, perplex, and mislead them, by quirk and quibbles. It is necessary, therefore, to disarm them—to melt away their prejudices by candour, courtesy, and straightforwardness, alike in reality and in manner. Let counsel, beware of resorting to anything like a threat, either directly or indirectly—such, for instance, as an allusion to what may be,thereafter done at headquarters —or, "by the proper authority reviewing the proceedings." The desired object may be obtained without acting thus offensively, and laying himself open—or rather the anxious and harrassed client sitting beside him—to the indignant charge of "dragooning" the court. He should never for get that that client is responsible for what his " friend'! is doing, and if that client, himself a military man, strongly object to the course taken by his " friend," he should pause, and not persevere, unless perfectly satisfied that he ought to do so, or sacrifice the precious interests intrusted to him. He must be firm, in that case, though his client may be importunate, and even in the anxiety and excitement of the moment, irritable—nay offensive. Verbum sapienti. In framing the written defence—a critical duty, and for the discharge of which a reasonable time is always freely granted by the Court, great discretion should be exhibited in both selecting the topics, and the mode of deal ing with them. Brevity should be studied, and facts and reasonings conveyed in language as plain and simple as can be employed. The writer of that defence must not beat about the bash, or bewilder the court with refined distinc tions, but ge to the true points in a frank, straight forward manner. If it be absolutely necessary to arraign the conduct and motives of the prosecutor and witnesses, it should be done with due courtesy and temper. Great cau tion should be observed in commening on the propriety of instituting proceedings—it being borne in mind that they have had the sanction of the supreme mili tary authority, under whose notice the issue will come, and by whom every word of the writ ten "defence" in particular will be calmly and care fully weigleed. The judge-advocate-general, who usually is, and always ought to be, a lawyer, and one too of superior professional knowledge and discretion, reviews the proceedings immediately after the transmission of them, sealed, to the Horse Guards. It is consequently im portant to have placel upon record all legal objections taken by the prisoner, and for this purpose respectful application must, as such objections arise, be made to the court. Another circumstance worthy of attention is, that the handwriting of the defenee should be as dis tinctly and readily legible as possible; for it is to be de livered, not by the writer, but his excited and anxious client, or some equally embarrassed military friend. In addition to assisting an officer at the trial, counsel may be called upon to advise him beforehand, as to the conduct of his defence, the validity of the charges, and the i evidence requisite on the part of the prisoner. Counsel may also he required to advise a prisoner against whom the court has decided, and who conceives himself entitled successfully to impeach the legal validity ings, whether the trial took place at horns . or ° . f e a h b t r l F: a i d e . s, G fi re a lt difficulties have to be contended with; administering ' inistering mili the very nature of the present tary justice, and its undoubtednddeefe°cts and hardships on prisoners. Two recent decisions of the Court of Queen's Bench may be advantageously referred to by the . student as showing the extreme diamity of impging the demons of courts martial, however erroneous, under review by the civil courts. It is not very frequently that counsel are called on to advise and assist in cases of this description ; but when they are, it is on occasions which attract public attention ; sometimes to a great extent ; and counsel should be all the more anxious to acquit himself satisfactorily, and maintain the credit of his own profession, whose watchful eyes are fixed upon him. The Queen's regulations, the articles of war, and the Annual Mutiny Acts, which have recently received con siderable modifications, must be referred to as the reposi tories of existing military law. The two excellent little manuals of Mr. Prendergast, "On the Law relating to Officers of the Army and of the Navy; " Simmons "On the Constitution and Practice of Courts Martial ; " and Hickman's " Treatise on the Law and Prac tice of Naval Courts Martial," will afford the student and practitioner much useful information on the subjects. Since, however, they appeared, important changes in the law have been effected, rendering it neces sary to read them cautiously. The great interest which the author of this work has always felt in military jurisprudence will, he hopes, be his excuse for here placing on record, in the nature of an appendix to the present chapter, certain suggestions for the improvement of the law and practice relating to courts martial, which have received the emphatic approbation of very high authorities, both judicial and military. The work written by the author, in which they appeared, is not now ac cess ibl e t o th e public. It is gravely questionable whether the interests of the public service do not require the office of judge-advocate general, which is one entirely judicial, to be held by the same tenure as other judicial offices, and thereby rendered independent of political or other disturbing influences. The course of procedure would then be consistent, uniform, and satisfactory, superintended by one thoroughly expe riencectin such matters. The judge-advocate-general, and deputy-judge-advocate general, should be gentlemen of rank and station at the bar, whose practice had been in the common law courts. The president of, at all events, every general court martial should, wherever practicable, be the judge-advocate, or deputy judge • advocate- general, or a member of the bar, appointed pro hdc vice, of standing and experience sufficient to ensure fitness for the discharge of such responsible duties. If it be deemed advisable, however, to continue an officer as president, then a gentleman properly qualified should attend the court in the capacity of assessor, or official adviser, to whom, in all matters of law, the court should be bound to defer. No one should prepare, or be responsible for, charges, and also officiate at the trial, as president or assessor. Nc one should discharge, at the same time, the incompa tible duties of prosecutor, and official adviser of a court mar tial. Every general court martial should, when practicable, be attended by a sworn shorthand writer, who should be bound, immediately after tho close of the inquiry, to furnish a copy of the evidence to the accused, on his demand, and paying for it. The examination of witnesses should be viva voce. These two alterations would at once insure accuracy ; greatly abridge the time at present occupied by courts martial; save expense to the accused, and to the country; and prevent the inconvenience to the service, occasioned by their absence from their duties of so many officers, kept from their respective spheres of duty for so long a period. At present every question is first written down, then considered by the deputy judge-advocate, and perhaps, also, by the president; then read over to the witness; then recorded by the deputy judge-advocate; then put to the wit ness ; whose answer is in like manner recorded. This insufferably wearisome and preposterous procedure is calculated, by totally defeating the legitimate objects of cross-examination, grievously to obstruct the development of truth. The prisoner should be allowed the free assistance of counsel during his trial. _ _ All rulings of the president, or deputy judge advocate, on matters suggested by the court, the prosecutor, or the accused, should be given openly, in the presence of the accused. The president, or deputy judge advocate, or assessor, should sum up the case to the court openly ; and if such duty should be performed by the deputy judge advocate, he should retire, while the court deliberates on its finding and sentence. In case of a conviction, the prisoner should be privately apprised thereof immediately, and be at liberty forthwith, as he may be advised, to offer any reasons for impeaching the validity of the proceedings, provided that such objec tions could not have been made at the trial, or were made and overruled. In case of acquittal, the result should be communicated at once to the prisoner, and he should be forthwith released from arrest, and ordered to return to duty, as is the practice in the navy. The 18th section of the Mutiny Act prohibiting a second trial of an officer or soldier, and more than one revision of the finding or sentence, and the reception of additional evidence on a revision, should be repealed, and power vested in the superior authority to permit any of these things to be done once, if justice should appear to require. A copy of the judge advocate .general's reasons for ad vising a confirmation of the finding and sentence, should be furnished to the prisoner, a reasonable time before they shall have been submitted for her Majesty's pleasure. One of many existing grievances, and of surpass ing unreasonableness and cruelty, in the case of military courts martial would be at once removed, if the above suggestions were to be carried into effect. As the Mutiny Act at present stands, and has long stood, all is sickening mystery and suspense to the unfortunate ac cused, for many weeks, sometimes months, and he is kept, during all that period, in arrest, a marked suspected man, equally whether he be guilty, or, in fact, have been most honourably acquitted. The author was counsel for an officer who was acquitted after a protracted trial; and the excitement and suspense, occasioned by the lengthened period which elapsed before he was apprised of the result, placed hlm in a position justly occasioning the most vivid apprehensions of his family and friends. Curious Astronomical Discovery. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—It has been recently announced, on the part of the Astronomical world, that they have hitherto been in error as to the distance from the sun to the earth. The error amounts they say, to four mil lions and thirty-six thousand miles ; and it seems that M. Le Verrier now adopts the idea that the sun's horizontal parallax is 8 min. 95 sec.; and that, therefore, the true mean distance of the sun from our earth is only 91,328,600 miles, instead of what Professor Eneke has hitherto taught, viz. 95,364,400 miles. Now, if these gentlemen had only considered that the all-wise Creator has made all the universe by " weight and measure," and that it is, therefore, impossible that our earth, the moon, and the sun, should have been made at haphazard, and without any de sign in their constitution and proportions, they might have determined the true distance of the sun long ago. A conviction that some definite relation must exist between the dimensions and distances of these glorious bodies has led me to the discovery of the true distance of the sun, without any reference to those doubtful observations on parallax which have so long misled the great astronomers of Europe. I have discovered this relation between the moon, the earth, and the sun, viz„ " that the diameter of the moon is to the mean distance of the moon's surface from the earth's surface, as is the diameter of the sun from the mean distance of the sun's centre to the earth's centre." Also, that the diameter of the earth is to the diameter of the sun in exactly the same ratio, or proportion. From this I find that the true distance of the sun from the earth is exactly 91,493,000 miles; which distance differs from that now given by M. Le Verrier, only by 164,800 miles. And whereas that astronomer gives the horizontal parallax at 8.95 sec., I find it, as above, to be 8.94 sec. I think this discovery is undeniable evidence of the existence of design in the creation of the sun, moon, and earth. To satisfy persons who may desire to examine the evidence of these facts, I here beg to append the data, on which my calculations aro founded, as tol ows :—The diameter of the moon is 2,159.3 miles; the mean diameter of the earth is 7,91.24 miles. The mean distance of the moon's centre from the centre of the earth is exactly 237,231 miles = 59.9643 mean radii of the earth. This gives the distance of the surface of the earth from the surface of the moon--=232,195 miles. And this, divided by the diameter of the moon, gives the rati0=107.532; which, multiplied by the mean diameter of the earth, gives the diameter of the sun =850,842 miles. And this again, multiplied by the same ratio, gives the mean distance of the sun from the earth, as distance above stated. The a pp arent mean diameter of the ss ec. fo t r ak re e f n rac a t t io l: ), g rn i i v n e u s te t s he ( which is allowing only 88,0 3.3 0 miles less ; differing from LeV • errier 76,600 miles.— Yours, &e. R. S. MORRISON, Commander R.N. MADAME DE LAMARTINE,—It is stated that the will of the late Madame de Laraartine, which left all her property to her huband, has been declared void in England, owing to an intormality in the execution. It will be remembered that she was an Englishwoman. HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 20. The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness the Crown Princess, walked and drove in the grounds this morning. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Nemours and Princess Marguerite of Orleans arrived at the Castle yesterday. _ _ The dinner party included their Royal High nesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia, Princess Helena, the Duke of Nemours and Princess Marguerite, the Prussian Ambassador and Countess Bernstorff, Lady Caroline Barrington, Lieutenant- General the Hon. C. and Mrs. Grey, Dr. Holzman, and the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting on the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Prussia. Count and Countess Bernstorff left the Castle this morning. Eirl Russell had an audience of the Queen. The Prince and Princess of Wales. SANDRINGHAM, Nov. 20. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with Major Teesdale, Sir Charles Phipps, Sir Henry Keppel, and Mr. H. Villebois, went out shooting yesterday. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, with the Hon. Mrs. F. Stonor and the Misses Phipps drove out. The Hon, Mrs. Francis Stonor has succeeded the Countess of Morton as lady in waiting en the Princess of Wales. The Countess of Morton has left Sandringham. The Prince of Wales joined the meet of the West Norfolk hounds to-day at Sussex Farm, Burnham. The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough will entertain company at Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock, Oxon, during the ensuing week; and on Thursday her grace will give a large party, to which the principal fami lies in the county have been invited. The Earl and Countess of Cawdor and the Ladies Victoria and Muriel Campbell left town onWednesday last for Nipton, Lincolnshire, on a visit to the Hon. Archibald and Mrs. Campbell. The Earl and Countess of Wilton will entertain a succession of visitors at Egerton Lodge, Melton Mow bray, during the hunting season. The Earl and Countess Craven, who have arrived in town, accompanied by the Ladies Craven, will shortly leave Charles-street, Berkeley-square, for Ashdown-park, Berks. The Countess Dowager of Cawdor has arrived in Tilney-street, from Burwood, Kent. The Countess Lordolf has left Claridge's Hotel for Paris. Viscount Curzon left Curzon House at the early part of last week for Gopsall Hall, Leicestershire, for tho hunting season. Lord and Lady Dacre, accompanied by the Dowager Lady Chesham, have left Grosvenor-square for the 800, Herts. Lady Macdonald Lockhart and Miss Macdonald Lockhart have left Farrance's Hotel for Lee Castle, near Lanark, N.B. Oa Thursday last the Hon. T. C. Bruce, youngest son of the late Earl of Elgin, was married at Riddlesworth to Miss Sarah Caroline Thornhill, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas Thornhill, of Riddlesworth Hall, Norfolk. The ceremony was peformed by the Hon. and Rev. A. Phipps. 4 Sir Henry Keppel, who has been on a visit to the Prince and Princess of Wales, has left Sandringham for Quiddenham. Sir William and Lady Maxwell have arrived at Claridge's Hotel from the continent. Sir Edward and Lady Synge have arrived at the Alexandra Hotel, St. George's-place, Hyde-park-corner, from Paris. . Sir Charles Phipps and the Misses Phipps have arrived in town from Sandringham. His Excellency Sir Henry Bnlwer, G.C.8., her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, has arrived in town. The party which was about to be given by the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth has been postponed, owing to the demise.of his grace's uncle, Lord Cheaham. THE EMPRESS AND THE PRINCE IMPERIAL.— Sunday, being the Empress's birthday, or rather fete, for it was the St. Eugenie, there was a grand dinner at the Chateau, illuminations in the Park, which was thrown open to and thronged by the public, and later in the evening amateur theatricals, in which two or three short one-act pieces, composed for the occasion,were played by some of the guests present. In one LI these a part had been reserved for the young Prince Imperial, who performed it very creditably, although evidently struggling against a certain amount of timidity, which is a feeling he appears to throw aside completely whon riding on his little pony 1 11 the woods of Compeigne. Some very pretty verses, set to music by two of the guests, in honour of the fair heroine of the day, were sang with much entrain, all the amateurs who had taken part in the evening's performances, stand ing on the little stage, and joining in the chorus at the end of each couplet. The Empress seemed greatly pleased, and was looking on that evening younger and more lovely than usual. She wore a transparent white muslin dress spangled with silver, on each breadth of which ran, from the waist downwards, a narrow band of green velvet ending in knots, fastened with diamonds, A small toque, or cap of green velvet, embroidered with diamonds, and ornamented with a diamond aigrette, was placed on her head, and a string of pearls fastened round her throat, a locket and cross, com posed of emeralds and diamonds. Simple as this dress was, it attracted universal admiration, and did the grace and kindness with which the Empress did the honours of the fete. The Princess Anna Murat, who is remarked to be a special favourite with the Empress, was dressed in white muslin, trimmed with blue, with bouquets of forget-me nots, and a parure of turquois and pearls. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The ing gentlemen, having undergone the necessary examination for their diploma, were admitted members of the College at a meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 20th inst.—viz., Messrs. Frederic Nash, Royston, William Godfrey Watermeyer, Cape of Good Hope, and Ebenezer Diver, M.D. St. Andrew's, Yately, Hants (students of Uni versity College; William Gallimore Hayden, L.S.A., High Wycombe, Augustus Reeve Senior, Richmond, and James Fuller, L.S.A., Rectory-place, Woolwich (of the Charing cross Hospital) ; Francis James Ryder, L.S.A., Green• wich, and Richard Edward Cooke, L.S.A., Southwells Notts (of St. Thomas's Hospital) ; William Henry Vipan s Ely, Cambridgeshire, and Vincent Richards, Charlton (of Guy's Hospital) ; William Snowden Hedley, M.D., Edin., Alnwick, Northumberland, and Ralph James Forbes Leith, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire (of Edinburgh) ; George Philipp Justus Ludwig Lichtenberg, M.D. GOttingens Finsbury-square; Alexander Murray Bligh, Liverpool ; James Gwyther, M.B. Lond. and L.S.A., Manchester; and Emil Julius Baeteke, M.D. GOttingen, Finsbury-square. MAUDSLAY, THE MECHANIST.—As the con noisseur in art will exclaim, at sight of a picture, "That is Turner," or " That is Stansfield,'' detecting the hand of the master in it: so the experienced mechanician, at sight of one of his machines or engines, w ill be equally ready to exclaim, " That is Maudslay ;" for the character istic style of the master-mind is as clea r to the experienced eye in the case of the finished machine as the touches of the artist's pencil are in the case of the finished picture. What Oxford and Cambridge are in letters, workshops such as Maudslay's and Pen n's aseinmecohfantiheesi.r Nor can Oxford and Cambridge men be prouder con nexion with their respective colleges than mechanics such as Whitworth, i s t as myth, Roberts, Muir, and Lewis are of their connexion with the school of Maudslay. O ne of Mr. Maudslay's old wor kmen when informing us o f the s kilf u l manner in which he handled the file, said, "It was a. pleasure to see him handle a tool of any kind, but he was quite splendid with an 18-inch file; '--Samuel Smiles. ATTEMPTED MURDER AT LDERSHOTT.—Ort Thursday a plasterer, a native of Exeter, Darned- Bartlett, came to Aldershott, by his own statement, to Nava an interview with his wife, who has been livinz, there as prostitute for some time. He found her at the house of n Mrs. Niel, and appeared to be on pretty good terms with her. lie had been in the house about two hours when i V was suggested that she and several other persons who we: o there should go and have something to drink at the Tra" falgar beerhouse. They accordingly proceeded there, an d ' three of them entered the beershop. Bartlett, his wife, an ti another person remained outside. Suddenly, and withou t any remark, Bartlett seized his wife and threw her down' She cried "Murder I" and on the bystanders raising her uP a pool of blood was discovered on the ground. It was found that her throat was frightfully cut. Medical men were im mediately sent for. The first who arrived was Dr. School braid, a surgeon residing in the town. Shortly afterwar ds Dr. Fortieth, of the Royal Dragoons, was in attendance• It was then found that the woman's throat was cut in three places; one wound had partially severed the jug ular vein ; and also the windpipe. The medical men succeeded in tysnn one of the principal arteries, but there appears, from the con dition of the woman at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, to d. ! . not the faintest hope of her recovery. Bartlet t was imme ately secured, and a razor stained with blood was for: . within a few yards of the spot where the woman had fallen- On On the way to the police station the pr isoner said if his avelie . died he should die happy, as be cam e down with the inter ' tion to do for her. lie also said be should ask the favour f being allowed to go back to Devonshire, his native counils to be executed. lie is about 27 or 28 years of age. tart Circular.