The Sun. — London, England, 1864-12-06 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGE I,—Dec. 5, COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. (Before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn and a Special Jury.) THE QUEEN V. RUMBLE.—THE RAPPAHANNOCK. This was the wellsknown case against Mr. Rumble for enlisting sailors for the Confederate war steamer Rappahannock. The Solicitor-General, Mr. Lush, Q.C., Mr. Hannen, and Mr. Vernon Harcourt were for the Queen ; Mr. Bovill, Q.C., Mr. Kerslake, Q.C., Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, Mr. Macnamara, and Mr. Giffard for Mr. Rumble. The Rappahannock was originally one of hit. Majesty's gunboats, the Victor. She was bought from the Admiralty in 1863, and was repaired in the dockyard at Woolwich. She was afterwards taken out of the dockyard and moored at a Govern. men t buoy, and her masts put in there, and she was prepared for sea. She afterwards went over to Calais, and hoisted the Confederate flag outside the harbour. It was for enlisting ssamen for this ship that the information was laid against the defen dant. The case against him, however, depending on detached pieces of evidence, can be best learnt from the evidence. The information consisted of 166 counts, of which the first 110 were 11 sets of counts charging the enlistment, or attempt at enlistment, of eleven men in the Confederate service. Then follow 15 counts for counselling and procuring them to enlist. And then follow 30 counts charging, as in the case of the Alexandra, equipping, furnishing, or fitting oat, or attempting to equip, furnish, or fit out, a vessel of war for the Confederate service. The Solicitors General opened the case at con. siderable length. The evidence for the prosecution was then gone into. Capt. Wise, examined by Mr. Lusk—l am super intendent of the dockyard. I know the defene dant, Mr. Rumble ; he is the inspector of mach!. nary afloat. He has held that appointment over two years. I knew her Majesty's gunboat the Victor. She had been in commission. During 1863 she was sold out of the service. Before being sold her gun fittings were taken out. She was sold as a vessel without her masts, spars, or rigging ; nothing in her but her machinery and boilers. I had orders that she was to be sold so. On the 11th of November she was delivered to the purchaser. She was in the Medway. She was docked. In dock her bottom was examined, her valves put in order, and her screw lifted and put into its place again. This was to see that she was in order. She sailed on the night of the 24th November. Captain Rumble had nothing to do with her until she was delivered up. Cross-examined by Mr Bovill—Mr Reece, the master rigger, had nothing to do with her. She was decked with the consent of the Admiralty. Messrs Colman, the purchasers, applied to have her docked, to the Lords of the Admiralty. The Lord Chief Justice—Had the sale been completed when she was docked ?—Witness—l don't think it had been. (The witness here read the requisition of the Messrs Colman to the Admiralty to let the vessel be docked in the Government dockyard.) The Lord Chief Justice—That shows then that the purchase had been completed. (Witness then read an order of the officer of the dockyard that the vessel could be docked, dated the 17th September.) Crosssexamination continued—She was at that time lying in the Medway. (Witness then read an order of the Admiralty to admit the Victor into the dockyard.) She was put into dock on the Bth by the Government officials. Nothing was done with her on the Medway. lt is a dry dock. While she was in dock soma of the turning machinery got broken, and we put it right. She was taken out of dock on the 13th October by the Government ans thocities into the basin. She remained in the basin to the 2d November. No masts were sent her there —the masts were put in the stream. Nothing was done to her until she was given up on the 10th or 11th November. The masts were put into her by Captain Hall, R.N., and her Majesty's ship Cum• berland was used for th 9 purpose. The rigging was not put in by the authorities. She was then half a mile from the dockyard in the stream. Mr Reece was not on board to my knowledge. We did her just as well as if she were our own veeF.ei. She was made fast to a Government buoy. A Government vessel took her to her moorings. I don't think she was at Go vernment moorings until she sailed. It was per fectly well known that she was fitting. There was no secresy. She was supposed to be going to China. Every one would be glad to give assistance in such a case. After she was delivered up I knew nothing more about her. Her tonnage is about 800. I have never dismissed any one for being a Federal spy. There are spies on both sides. A man in the yard named Warner applied for his discharge. Mr George Evans, examined by Mr Lush—l am registrar of shipping for London. I produce register of ship under name of Scylla, dated Nov. 6, 1863. Owner is registered Robt. Gordon Colman. Gross tonnage, 529 tons. Built in 1857. Barque rigged. Eestimated horse-power, 320. Thomas Firth examined by Mr Hannen—l am a breaker of ships. In the autumn of last year I was engaged to work on board the Scylla. I was en gaged by Mr Ferguson. He said he was the chief engineer. I cid Mr Carr alone. There were Cole and I. We wore to meet Mr Carr at the Arsenal, and then go to Sheerness. Mr Carr told me to see Mr Rumble at Sheerness. Carr went with us to the dockyard. We got there at eleven. At half- past one Mr Rumble came into the dockyard. Mr Carr spice to him. We went to waterside, and Mr Rumble called out and told me to go out of the dockyard and on to the wharf to meet a boat and go on board the Scylla. I did so, and went on board, Mr Rumble was on board, lie spoke to Mr Carr. I was then put to work. Mr Carr was second en. gineer. He told me to look after stores. I was at work until she sailed, and afterwards. Mr Rumble paid me my first week's wages. He paid me on board ship. He said he would allow me a guinea a week while we stopped and our provisions. 1 asked him where the ship was going, and he said ho didn't know, but if I lived to come home again with the ship I shouldn't have to work any longer. Then he said he would like to go me halves. Mr Rumble was there all the time. I was at work three weeks and one or two days. Mr Rumble was on board sometimes twice a day, sometimes more, until he was taken ill. He told mo if we wanted any. thing we were to let him know. We told him of several things. They were for the use of the ship—shovels and rakes, stools, and a illsk of oil. When we asked him for things he put them down in his pocketbook ; they were afterwards sent on board. I went away on a Tuesday night, between 9 and 10. I didn't see Mr - Rumble on board that night. I saw him thflt afternoon, just as we were going to dinner. I was called into the cabin. , Mr Rumble was there. Mr Rumble asked me if I was going:to sign the chip's article. I said yes. lie offered me £6 a month. I asked £B. Mr Rumble said he was one of the owners. Mr Pearson—He can't afford to give more than £6. Afterwards be said he would give me £B. I think that was Mr Pearson. Mr Rumble asked me how I'd like to have it Paid- I said I wanted to handle my own money. He asked we if I couldn't trust him to send it home to my Wife. I said no. I wanted to buy a shirt. I had nothing but what I stood upright in. Nothing passed afterwards. I wouldn.t sign. Then he told me to go out and send my master in. I did so. During the night I was in the engine room. Tke same afternoon I agreed for a fortnight. We went to Calais. I did not know where she was going nor when she i 948 going to start. On the Saturday we were told she was going on Wednesday, and she went on Thursday night. We sighted about 4 in the afternoon of Wednesday. Mr ItAmsay corn. manded. We dodged about off Calais all night, and sent up rockets. We went in next day. A flag w as hoisted outside —a white flag, with red stripe down the middle and 13 stars each way Gn a cross in the corner. I was told it was a Confederate flag. I ro- maincd on board at Caws three or four days. I did aot like to go in her when I saw the flag. Another captain cline on board inside. 118 was dressed in plain clothes. 11e called us aft, and asked us if we would go with him. Some said yes end some no. Tie said she was a Confederate man of war, and he would like us to go in her. I didn't see Mr Rumble on board at Calais. The captain addressed us the day after we arrived. Afterwards he came on board in uniform—a grey suit. When We went from Woolwich to Sheerness Mr Rumble paid us a sovereign. Cross-examined by Mr Bovill—Mr Ferguson engaged me at Woolwich. He was chief enginer, I knew Mr Ferguson ; I had been with him before. I had no conver sation with Mr Rumble about going on board, When I got on board nobody was on board but the cook and Mr. Ramsay. Nothing was being done. Carr told us what to do. We were to work at the engine and boilers, The boiler makers also worked at them. The tubes were in a very bad state. lam breaking up ships now. I have re ceived nothing besides my wages except 12s 6d a week. I get that from Rochester, from Essell, Knight, and Arnold —that is to keep me from going to sea. I have received it five or six weeks. Cole, Brooks, and Giuno have also re • ceived it. I have talked it over with Cole and Brooks— they are at work w ith me. I know O'Kelly; I see him about once a-woek ; we have a glass of beer. 'When we are dry we have a glass at a public-house. I once went to London to meet O'Kelly; that is, I went to London and ran against him accidentally. We had some beer. I fi rst made a statement about this time last year ; it w as in a public-house. There were Mr O'Kelly and two or three more there. I had seen him before; he came to the factory gate at Woolwich. He and Brooks, Giuno, Bailey, and Herbert. That was the morning after we came back. We didn't have as much beer as we liked. Lord Chief Justice—How much did you like? I think there were three pots of half-and-half. Next time I saw O'Kelly was at 'Woolwich. He promised to find us all ships. He has never given me any money to stay. 1 don't know who he is or where he lives. I saw him last week. I saw him this morning. We didn't have any beer this morning I should rather like to have eome. He gave me 12s 6d a week or two back, I was examined before the magistrates, I don't know whether I told them that Rumble said, "If I got back 1 needn't work any more, and he would like to go me halves." it was Mr Ferguson first told me to go into the cabin and sign the articles. Mr [tumble gave a guinea the first Saturday. I didn't know where the ship was going. Nobody told me. I had no idea of the Confederate service until we got to Calais. The idea on board of the ship was that she was going into the opium trade. Mr Ramsay engaged me as storekeeper for fourteen days, for a trial trip to Brest. The tubes had to be repaired in Calais; they were not fit to go to sea. The riggers were on board when we crossed. The Sheerness tradesmen were sending stores on board when we left. I would not hare enlisted in the Confederate ser vice. Captain Ramsay made the flag while we were off Calais, and hoisted it next morning. A Juryman—What would have been the ordinary wages for a trading voyage? Witness—l 4 or 108 to £5. Re-examined—Mr Rumble paid me a guinea twice. When Ferguson asked me to go in and sign articles Mr Rumble was the first that spoke about them. The Lord Chief Justice—You get 12s 6d from these attorneys. - What is your wages ? Witness-18s a week. James Hurford (examined by Mr V. Harcourt)-1 am a ship breaker. Last autumn I was employed on the ship Scylla. I was sent there by Mr Ferguson. I went to Sheerness. I saw Mr Rumble. He paid us our expenses of getting there. Then I went on board. Some days after I went on board I saw him again. All of us went and asked Mr Rumble what wages we were to have. He said he could give us a guinea a week. We agreed to those terms. I remember the ship sailing. The day before that I saw Mr Rumble en board. I was on board when the vessel went to Calais. I stayed on board her there seven or eight days. I was cleaning up when we were talking about wages. Mr Rumble said the captain was not in England, hut would be there in three or four days' time. I was to be leading stoker. Capt. Campbell was the captain when we were at Calais. He asked me to sign the ship's articles, I would not. I asked Capt. Campbell what the ship was. I would not join unless we had leave, like a man of war, to go on shore every other night. He wouldn't agree to that. Cross-examined by Mr Karslake—l was at Woolwich when I was engaged. I didn't know Carr. I didn't know I was to be loading stoker. Firth, Carr, Cousins, and I went down. When I got on board I had a job at the engines. I can't say how long after I got on board the name of Scylla was painted on. We told Rumble on the same day we camp down that it was not usual for men to pay their own expenses down to the ship, and he paid us those expenses. I gave Firth some of the money. 'We divided it. Don't know whether Firth was present. I was coaling ship the day she left, Can't say what time of day I saw Rumble. I believe it was in the morning. The super. intendent of police was there. I did not see him, I did not see the superintendent and Rumble searching the ship to see if there were any stores on board. I said nothing about the owner being away, only about the captain, when I was examined before the magistrate. I have seen O'Kelly 30 or 40 times perhepe. I have had beer with him at Wool wich. He don't treat me. We drink boor together. I stand a pot to his pot. I have seen Firth with him. They generally come to the factory gates. O'Kelly just asks after my health, Since I was examined I have seen him perhaps once a week. He sees I don't go away. I am obliged to stay here. Mr O'Kelly said I musn't go away. I didn't see Firth receive 12s 6d. Re - examined—Ramsay and Rumble were on board when I went on board. I applied for the guinea. Mr Ramsay said that he had nothing to do with it. We were to go to Rumble when he came on board. Mr Pearson went with the ship to Calais, Charles Coles, examined by the Solicitor General—l am sometimes stoker, sometimes engineer. I applied to be em ployed on board the Scylla. I went on board the Scylla. I first saw Mr Rumble in the factory. I didn't speak to him. Mr Rumble gave the passage money to Hurford. Mr Rum ble was frequently on board. The first week I got a guinea from him for wages. That was on board the ship. lie said we were a good lot of men, and he didn't wish to lose the run of us. We didn't know until then what we were to got. Then Mr Rumble told us we were to get one guinea and our food. We were to have anything we wanted, but no grog. I heard some of the men ask where the ship was going to. Mr Rumble said when they came home he shoould like to go us halves. Mr Rumble came on board very often, He looked after us to see that every thing was going on right. He once gave directions about a tube in the boiler, He was there sometimes an hour, some times half an hour. Mr Rumble said that if we left our money in his hands he would send it home to our wives. I went down to sign articles. Mr Ramsay, Mr Rumble, and another person were there. Mr Ferguson was also there. Mr Rumble asked if we were going to join the ship. I de clined. He then asked if we would go with the ship on a trial trip-not to exceed fourteen days. I said that I would, with a written condition. lie said if I liked to go I could go. Mr Ramsay drew up the condition. Up to the day we started from Sheerness Mr Ramsay commanded. When wo got off Calais I saw a Confederate flag flying. Another captain came on board the day after we came in. He sent for us aft. lie told us he was our captain, and told us we must consider ourselves Confederate men-of-war's-men, and asked if we would sign articles. I would not. Mr Rumble, when we were at Sheerness, had previously offered us £6 a month if we would join the ship. We would not under £8 a month, He said the company could not afford it. A Juryman—Was there any mention of any voyage the ship was going ? Witness—Nothing, except what I have said. I didn't see Mr Ramsay at Calais. A Juryman—What made you ask £8 a month ? Wit ness—Because I had received it before in another voyage. Mr Rumble never paid me anything except the passage money to Sheerness and the guinea. Cross-examined by Mr Bovill—The last two or three weeks I have had no work, 1 came back from China two months ago. For three weeks I have received 12s 6d a week. I don't know who he is that gives it to me. lie is a respectable per. son. It was not a Mr O'Kelly. I didn't know Ferguson till the Sunday evening before going to Sheerness, I went down with Carr, Firth,and Hurford; we all went on board together, I did not speak to Rumble. It is not usual to have the ex penses from Woolwich to Sheerness. Mr Rumble said in the cabin that he was aut h or i sed by the company to pay us a guinea a week. I didn't hear him say he was acting for the owner. I had leo notion she was a Confederate ship until we got off Calais. I had no idea except going on a trial trip. I don't know on what day that arrangement was made. Nothing was said t o my knowledge about ship's articles . before it was mentioned by Captain Campbell in Calais. I didn't know Mr Pearson. I was given to understand he was on board, The boilers were not fit for going a trial trip. Re-examined by the Solicitor-Goneral—l never heard what passed between Carr and Rumble. The Government tug took us out of Sheerness harbour the night we left. I saw the tug there two or three miles out. By a Juror—What wages did you get for going to China? —I signed for SI 10s, and after a month out I had £5 10s. Charles Newman---I am a stoker. I first made application to Mr Greathead to be taken on board the Scylla. He re ferred me to Mr Rumble. He told me to go on board and sea the mate. I saw Mr Ramsay, the mate. He told me to call the following day, and I called. I asked him where the ship was bound ; ho said he couldn't tell me. He couldn't give me any satisfactory answer about wages. He said, "Trust to me, and you shall have the first opening as a petty officer." I was to go on board the following morning. That was Wednesday. I learned that she was gone when I went to go on board. I saw Mr Rumble. I said I had missed my passage in the Scylla. He said, " I suppo se y ou are aware she has arrived in Calais." I said I was. Mr Great head was there, He talked about eng , ging me. I said I had been in the American service with C iptain MafTfr, on board the Florida, Mr Rumble said he thought perhaps I should be a very useful man. I told him I left the service on my mother's account. He said he was going to London to see the Confederate agent; that he would drop me a note. I did not call for the note; I was too busy. Afterwards I was afraid of getting into trouble. I had previously spoken to Mr Rumble about my b e i ng on the other Goveinment ship, and he asked me if I could got my discharge, I said thought I could. CI oh C na r fv o ed s e s e i 3r e ea x eten Tnined by M r B cvill--I am now at Sheerness t a h n e d r e thoughtfive I years. couldlbetter did n ot knowmyse myself I was a w a Mr Greathead fi rst ; afterwards I saw Mr Rumb . lo alone. I told him I should like to join the ship at Calais, after I knew she was a Confederate, I didn't care which Ijoined, Federal or Confederate : I didn't care. 1 have a wife and children. That is the only reason that keeps me at home. I receive nothing to keep me here. When this conversation about him going over to Calais was going on Mr Greathead and Mr Rumble's son were present. I believe Mr Greathead is at Malta. Mr Rumble's son, I believe, is away. I don't know. I was not examined before the magistrates. The Lord Chief Justice—l suppose we must go on with the case for the Crown. If you want to make an applica tion to postpone having this evidence:suddenly sprung upon you, you must do so tc. morrow morning. The observation arose from the opposite side having had no notice of this evidence, and had no opportunity of ob taining the evidence of the witnesses who were present at this interview. Re-examined—My tug did not take out the Soylla while I was on board. I was not on board that night, His Lordship said—As to the postponement, I think it is only reasonable that it should be so, as this evidence must take the defendant by surprise; and I think that as it must be, it had better be done at once, and that the evidence for the Crown had better not be gone farther into. The case was then postponed until the sittings after next term, which will be in February next. The Charge of Scuttling a Ship. Joseph John Mitcheson White, of 5, Ogle-terrace, South Shields, and Robert Sutton, of 5, Robinson-terrace, Sunder land, were yesterday again placed at the bar of the Man sion -house, in the custody of Detective Sergeant Moss, to undergo a further examination before the Lord Mayor on the charge that they, being respectively the captain and chief mate, did on the 4th day of October last, out of the body of any county of this realm, and within the jurisdic tion of the Admiralty of England, unlawfully, maliciously, and feloniously destroy a British ship called the Snows drop, then being on the high seas, with intent thereby to defraud divers persons who had underwritten certain pone cies of insurance upon the said ship, contrary to the statute 24 and 25 Vic , cap. 97 Bee, 43, Mr Lewis, jun., again appeared to prosecute en behalf of Lloyd's Salvage Association ; Mr Sleigh, instructed by Mr Mullens, of the Poultry, appeared for White; and Mr Beard appeared for Sutton. The prisoner White was captain, and the prisoner Sutton chief mate of a vessel called the Snowdrop, of Newcastle, which sailed from London in September, bound for Cron stadt in ballast. The vessel it appeared was insured for a total loss in a sum of £2,000, and in that case, in the event of any accident happening to the vessel, the owners would be liable for the amount of damage, and the underwriters would be under no responsibility unless the vessel became entirely destroyed. The Snowdrop proceeded on her voyage until the 4th October, and on that day, at about four o'clock, she struck on some reefs off the coast of Russia. Mr Lewis, on the part of the prosecution, admitted the striking of the vessel might have been accidental; but the case which it was endeavoured to prove was that the cap tain, whose brother was a part owner of the vessel, know ing that the owners would be responsible for any amount of damage sustained by the vessel if she were not entirely lost, t)gether with the mate, directed the ship's carpenter to bore holes in the ship's bottom, in consequence of the vessel not having made any water for some hours after she struck, and that in consequence of the holes being bored as they directed the vessel filled and was destroyed. The evidence adduced on the last occasion was that of Craig, ship's carpenter on board the Snowdrop, who, it will be remembered, stated that when the vessel struck she made no water for some hours, and he, by the captain's orders, bored some holes in her sides, the mate Sutton being present part of the time. Yesterday, Wm. Clay said he was cook and steward on board the Snowdrop, which sailed from London in Septem ber last. The prisoner White was master, and Sutton the mate. The vessel was bound from London to Cronstadt, in ballast. She proceeded on her voyage, nothing particular occurring until Oct. 4. On the morning of that day he was in bed, and was awoke by the vessel striking on some rocks. It was 4 o'clock. He ran up on deck. Round the fore part of the vessel he saw reefs, and on the right he saw a small island. He went down stairs again and saw the captain, who did not know he had been on deck, and said to him that the ship was on reefs, and told him to get his things togee ther, as he hadfXlso worth in the state cabin. Witness had the sails clewed up, and heard the carpenter, Craig, report to the captain several times after the vessel struck that she was making no water, Witness himself went down in the hold about an hour and a half after she struck, and found no water. The vessel struck twice or three times after she went on the reefs,and bumped several times during the day. About 6 o'clock in the morning he saw the captain in the cabin with the carpenter. He was sent on deck to give the men some rum, and was absent about 10 minutes, and when he returned the carpenter was still in the cabin with the cap• tain. At that time the ship was making no water. 'Wit ness was one of the men who went in the jollyboat with one man, two boys, and the mate Sutton. They went out for the purpose of taking out the anchor. They ought to have gone round the after part of the vessel to tow the long boat, which held the anchor, out to sea. They only went a little way, however, as they were not able to pull, and the wit ness made the remark that ho was only a cook and steward and not a seaman, and the carpenter ought to have been sent into the boat instead of him. The anchor was not let into the water, and the longboat did not leave the ship's side, When witness se eat on board again he heard the water corn ing in at the after part of the ship as he passed the hatches, and he told the captain so—he said "Never mind," and told him to go on with his work. 'Witness went down into the cabin, and proceeded with packing up, and while so en gaged he heard hammering and a rush of water in the hold. He did not hear the water until after the knocking. He went on deck, and went halfway down the main hatchway ladder, and there sew the captain and the carpenter standing near the pumps talking. He heard the captain say " I'll make you all right," or some words like that. Witness said to the captain " Captain, hero's your belt," handing him his belt, and the captain seemed confused and said he did not want it, and told him to keep it. Witness had not up to thin time seen the pumps used. Witness went into the fore-hold to get a cask of pork to take ashore, and he saw the water whirling up, When witness went ashore the captain's things were ashore, and he had not up to that time seen any pumping, It was about six hours after the vessel struck that he first noticed the water coming in. When witness arrived in England he made a statement of what he knew. By Mr Sleigh—Witness had been in England about three weeks. He had not been living with the carpenter since he had been in England. Francis Brewer said he was boatswain and second mate in the Snowdrop. He joined her in September last. He took charge of the captain's watch when he was below, and took his instructions from him. During the voyage the weather was moderate. The pumps were only used three times during the voyage, and on two out of the three occa sions it was in consequence of the ship being washed out. Witness relieved Sutton in his watch at midnight on the 3rd of October, and took charge of the captain's watch, which was from twelve to four, The night was fine. He received instructions from Sutton to steer east half north. He saw a light on the starboard beam, and Sutton told him to call the captain when the light bore south-west. Tho light at that time was about five miles distant, Three hours after the light was about 10 miles off, and bore S.W., and he went and called the captain, and told him it was 3 o'clock, and that the light bore S.W., and asked him if there was anything in the road, and the captain said "No." He was asked by the captain what course he was steering, and he told him east half north. Witness was never in the Baltic until that time, and had often told the defendants so. At 5 minutes past 4 ho wont to Sutton, and told him the captain had not turned out, and the vessel was going six knots through the water. Sutton asked if had seen the land, and he told him he had seen it all the watch to leeward, and Sutton told him to haul the ship up a point and a half. He was going up stairs to do so when the ship struck with her head east north-east. As soon as the vessel struck the cap tain came up and asked witness what he had done, He told him nothing, and that he had called him at 3 o'clock, but he did not turn out, and the captain said he perfectly under. stood what ho had asked him—whether there was anything in the road. All hands were called up, and the sails clewed up. The pumps were sounded, and he heard the carpenter report several times that there was no water in the ship. The tackle for lowering the boats had been made ready four or five days previous by order of Sutton. The anchor was slung over the stern of the longboat. The jollyboat tried to tow the longboat away to sea, but could not. There was only one man in the jollyboat who could pull. The warp of the anchor was fastened amidships. It might have been fas tened at the stem, Before the boat went out he saw the car penter with a hammer, chisel, and an auger, which he threw down the hold on the ballast. The carpenter then went down the hold himself, and was shortly afterwards followed by the mate, That was about half-past six, and up to that time the vessel had made no water. He was quite sure that amongst the tools he saw the carpenter with there was a screw auger. The vessel was upright on the rocks, and moved, but nothing to speak of. The weather was fine, but there was a little sea running. When the boat returned ho was, with other men, getting a large hawser out of the forecastle. After that ho heard the carpenter report that there was 20 inches of water in the hold. That was about half an hour after he had seen the carpenter throw down the tools. No order was given to set the pumps to week. Witness was afterwards called down in the cabin, and he there saw the captain, mate, carpenter, and steward. He was asked to take a glass of grog, and the captain told him to get a boat's crew and take his things ashore. Stonescar Island was about a quarter of a mile from the ship, The Lord Mayor—Did you apprehend danger when you went to the mate at 4 o'clock ? Witness —The mate told me there was a reef to pa ss , Mr Sleigh—That you might be cautious ? Witness hesitated. The Lord Mayor—The direction you were tuld to steer took you direct on to the reef ? Witness—Yes. Mr Lewis —Did the boat's crew take the captain's thine's? W tness— Yes. Mr Lewis—The same boat's crew could have taken the anchor out if they had been sent ? Witness said they could. They left the ship about half past 4, and up to that time the pumps had not been used. He visited the ship next morning with the mate and the carpenter, and the water In the vessel was level with that outside. She was in the same position, and also on the day following, when they again visited her. Witness went to Revel, then to St. Petersburg, and back to Cronstadt, and made a protest at Revel. By Mr Sleigh—There had been some rough weather on the voyage. They were in the Baltic when the tackle was ordered to be got ready for the boats. He had heard the Baltic was a difficult place to navigate. He swore to a protest which was read to him. (Mr Sleigh read a portion of the protest, in which it was stated that all that could be done was done to save the vessel and prevent her from striking on the reef, but it was of no avail) The witness said that was what was stated in the protest, and he swore to it; but it did notsay how she made water. The carpen ter, mate, and the captain and another seaman were present. By Mr Lewis—When witness went to sign the protest it was already prepared, and he was asked by the mate to sign it. It was read over to him. It was not made out by wit ness's instructions. It was onlp read over to him, and they were asked no questions, but whether they were ready to sign it. Wm. Middleton, a seaman on board the Snowdrop, said he was on deck when the ship struck on the morning of Oct. 4. Before she struck he sung out " Breakers ahead," and as he was saying so she struck. She struck twice. He heard the carpenter report twice that the vessel was not making any water. He remembered the anchor boing hung over the stern of the longboat. At that time the vessel had not made any water. He should say it was about four• and a half hours after she struck. After the anchor was got in again he heard some one say the vessel was making water. No attempt was made to pump. He signed the protest at Revel, and was asked by the mato to do so. The captain, mate, boatswain, and carpenter were present at the time ho signed it. He saw the vessel standing in the same position seven days after she struck. Captain Drummond said he was special agent for Lloyd's underwriters. On Nov. 14 Craig, the carpenter, wont to his office in Fenchurch-street and made a statement. Ho afterwards saw the steward, who also wade a statement, and he reduced the statement of each to writing, They related to the Snowdrop. He produced the certified copy of the register of the ship. Herbert Brayne, an underwriter in the Australasian In surance Company, said tho Snowdrop was insured at his office for the sum of £.500. The insurance was effected on Sept. 6 against all risks. Cyril Wright, a clerk in the Alliance, of Capcl•court, produced a policy of £5OO on the Snowdrop, froe of particu• lar average, that was to say, only against the total loss of the ship. Mr Lewis asked for another remand, Mr Sleigh addressed his lordship with a view to induce him to admit his client to bail, and Mr Beard made a similar application, but the Lord Mayor said the penalties were so severe in case a conyiction should take place, that he did not feel justified in taking the responsibility, and de clined to accede to the application. The Murder and Attempted Suicide a Shirley. SOUTHAMPTON, Monday. This dreadful tragedy, of which a very brief account has already appeared, has created intense excitement through out this district. 01 the unhappy murderer, whose name is George Broomfied, and ago about 47 years, little or nothing is of courseknown here, but all the other parties to the tragedy of Saturday are well known and highly respected in the locality. The Hampshire Independent this morning, in a second edition, gives the following par ticulars as to the unbrtunate young woman whose life was so ruthlessly sacrified on Saturday evening " Mr Powell, of tle Shirley Hotel, and also in an exten sive way of business Is a plumber and painter, has employed from his youth the husband of the unfortunate deceased, Frederick Colborne, thout 24 or 25 years of age, the son of a tailor at Ringwood ; and he has always conducted himself in a way which gained for him not only the confidence of his employer, but thi respect and esteem of all his acquaint ances, He was reedited almost as a member of Mr. Powell's family, by whom aloe hi s poor deceased wife was always gladly welcomed. ;h e h a d attained, at her death, the age of 23 years. She ferreerly lived in service with Mr Bur rows, of Shirley, he maiden name being Wing, and her aged father, who ha already sustained a severe family afliction within a very recent period, is a hard-working man, gaining his living al a plasterer. She is described as a young woman of agrteable manners and affectionate dispo sition, and of an amiability of temper which rendered her beloved by all who 'new her. Almost from childhood she and Colborne had ban attached to each other; their love and affection seemed to increase with their growth, and, though the deceasedchanged her place of service, they kept up a continued cornspondence, and looked forward to the time when circumstaaces would enable them to bo married. The poor girl removed from Shirley to the residence of Mr Guildford Onslow, IP., at Upton House, Alresford,where she failed the positioa of lady's-maid, and her services were highly valued. Hereshe for the first time met Gee. Broom field, a man now 47 roars of age, who held a responsible situation in the hone as butler, and who it has since been proved was a marriel man, though the deceased does n o t appear at the time tz have been aware of the fact. He was well to do in the woad, having Bawd a considerable sum of money from his earnings in the situations which he had filed, and among his other sources of income he is sad to have an annuity of £3O a year, which had been lett him by a military officer in whose service he had lived in the south of Ireland. Broomfield, to the girl's great annoyance, began to pay her marked atten tions, but she freaky told him that her affections were en gaged, and that ever if they were not, there was such a dis parity between that. ages that she could in no way encou rage his advances He seems, however, to have still persisted in paying his attentions to her, and rather than continuo to be subpct to his Importunities she left her ser vice and returned to Shirley, where, in May last, Colborne made her his wife, and they went to reside in the Union road, at Shirley, there she could be near her mother, in one of the portiere of a double cottage, of which there are several in that locality, the remaining half of the building being occupied b . l a working man named H arr i s an d hi s family. Here they lived happily and comfortably together, looking forward with anxiety to their domestic happiness being increased by her becoming a mother, an event shortly expected." It appears that on Saturday afternoon Broomfield came down from London by the 3 o'clock train, which reaches Southampton at 5.20, and immediately made his way to Shirley, which it about two miles from this town, and he soon found out tle deceased's residence, where he called shortly after 7 o'clock. His appearance here was of course very distasteful, and much alarmed poor Mrs Colborne, but he insisted on entering the house, where he conversed for some time with the deceased and h er husband, and her mother, Mrs Wing ) was also present part of the time. nits conversation is gated to have been rational and coherent, and his manner quite cool and collected. He appeared anxious to be on friendly terms with Mr and Mrs Col borne, and told them of his intended movements for the future, as referred to in one of the letters given below. Broomfield himself subsequently told one of the medical t w ha iat t hf hethe wanted his unfortu - rivasObut she would not me little time had passed Mr Colborne said to his wif e that they had bet ter go out to do their usual Saturday evening's market ing, when Broomfield said, "Don't go out and leave me here alone, but if you go your wife had better stop here with me." This was, of course, objected to, and deceased and her husband went out together, leaving Bloomfield alone in the house, While they were out they called at Mr Powell's, where the deceased expressedherself as being uneasy and uncomfortable about Broomfield's presence. They got home a little after 9 o'clock, and during their absence it ap pears that Broomfield employed himself in writing, in which he was also engaged part of the time that his unfortunete victim was at home. Soon after their return Mrs Colborne commenced frying some sausages for supper, and during the temporary absence of the husband to fetch some ale two or three shots were heard by some neighbours, one of whom, a woman named Harris, living next door, immediately ran to the house, and was soon followed by others. The first thing that presented itself to view was the body of the poor young woman Colborne, lying on some bricks ab from the back door, weltering in blood, and just inside Broomfield was lying on the floor, apparently mortally wounded. A revolver with five chambers was lying on tho floor, two barrels of which were still loaded, so that the other three had in all probability been fired. It is the opi nion of Mrs Harris, who first raised the poor young woman from the:ground, that she was then dead—but Mr Wheeler, who carried the body into the room, thinks that she breathed once or twice afterwards. She was placed in a bitting posture on the floor, in the arms of her friends, and never spoke a word. On examination it was found that the bullet had entered her left breast and apparently passed through the heart, and two medical gentlemen who were soon on the spot, Drs Weston and Mott, pronounced her death to have been instantaneous. It was next found, on examining Broomfield, that ho had also been shot in the left breast, and as the bullet had appa rently pasted into his lungs, tho medical gentlemen gave it as their opinion that the wound was mortal, and that his rect.very was next to an impossibility. The murderer's coat was lying near, and his hat was on the sideboard. After some consultation it was determined to send Broomfield into the Royal South Hants Infirmary, in this town, whither he was removed in charge of Police-sergeant Cheyney, of the Hants Constabulary, The unfortunate husband of the murdered woman was one of the earliest among the crowds who rushed to the house on the alarm being given, and was driven almost to madness by the desolating scone before him, It was with difficulty ho was restrained, in his first moments of excitement, from inflicting personal vengeance on the wretched mar then lying on the floor before hint, who had thus in a few short minutes put an end to his happiness, and deprived him of the society of his deeply Iwo(' wifo. He has since been in a sad state of mind, overpowered with his irreparable loss. Notwithstanding the man Broomfield was so desperately wounded he had lost but little blool, and was able to con verse. He said he had been a fellow-servant with the de ceased, and that he was a married man, his wife living at Bishop's-terrace, Newington -green, Islington; but the de ceased, he said, knew that ho was fond of her. He added that he intended to go to America to join the Federal army, and to desert from it to go to that of the Confederates, but he adopted the plan of joining the Federals first in order to get to America. He then said that what he had suffered no one could tell; that ho did it for love; and that he had no intention of doing it when ho came there. Police-sergeant Cheyney found upon him £5 lOs in gold, a £5 note, Os in silver, and 4d in coppers; also a prospectus or report of the Eastern Bengal Railway Company, addressed to " G Broomfield, Esq., 7, South Molton-street, Grosvenor-square W." He talked occasionally to Cheyney, though with diffi culty, and begged him not to leave him, telling him he had been in an unsettled state of mind about the deceased, and ho had come to Southampton to settle what property ho had upon her. Several documents were found in his pocket, one of which was a memorandum to this effect :—" I got Mrs. Colburn to write this note, as I felt too ill to do so.—G. D. 8.," and the address on the letter is Miss Riddle'', 7, Bishop's-terrace, No wington-green, Islington. My dear wife is with her, if not dead." The letter referred to appears to be in the handwriting of a lady of superior education, and runs in these terms : " My dear, dear Anne,—These aro the last words you will ever hear from me. I feel I have broken your heart, I deserve to die, if I should reach America, in the Confederate army, that is if I can roach the Confederate by first joining the Northern, then desert for the Confederates, for I feel they:are the people that deserve fighting for. Oh, my dar ling Ann, I shall not have your kind and affectionate eyes and [the word following appears to be ' hansl to watch over me as you ever have done, particularly the last nine months, night and day. Had I never gone to Alresford my happy home would never have been broken up. With my kind affectionate love to all, particularly to those who have been kind and affectionate to me under my heavy afitictions. I left all my affairs in the hands of Mr Brown and Mr Cooper. You will find my will and papers and about 50 or 60 pounds in the cashbox, I hope all will be carried out as I have left it to be. I hopo the doctor, Mr Tweed, will go to you, as I ordered him, immediately. Dear Sarah, render all the assistance you can to my dear wife ; tell her not to fret about me; lam not worthy of her doing so. Good.bye." An addition is made to the letter, apparently by Broom field himself, who first signs his name, and adds-- My dear Ann—l felt, when I left, you was dying, and I feel it all through my affection not being what it ought to be towards you.—G. D. B." And he adds in another part of the letter— " I have my watch with me and about £l,OOO in money. I name this as there might be some unpleasantness, and the watch I have named in my will." Another letter was evidently written immediately before the tragio occurrence. It is in a tremulous hand, and it is sometimes difficult to trace the writing ; but reference is clearly made to the unfortunate deceased's having written fur him the note given above, and it is addressed to the husband of the deceased in these terms : "My dear Mr Coburn—You must - bear up under this heavy trial same as one that I have left. She is dieing through the heavy trial I have brought upon her. I have always tbeught since 1 have been so ill I cannot rest night or day. I. . . constantly ringing in my ears that Carrey must die with . . . Ifcel wee shall boath meet you and my poor deare and affectionate dieing wife. Yours will not bo hafe the trial as the ono I have left as gone through, and is now going through. 1 hope you will get some one to talagraph to say lam dead. I wish you to do so, or some one, to Mr Brown, 47, Groat Marlebone-street, Portland-place. Good-bye and God bless you and support us all under this heavy trial.—G.D.B. " I hope you will forgive me, and let us boath lay to gether till that we shall be called forth to meet Christ. Then all sorroe and trouble will be at an end. I have changed my mind in going away since dear Garrey wrote the note, as I feel she must die with me.' Since his removal to the infirmary Broomfield has had every medical care, but his recovery is not expected. Ile is under the surveillance of police sergeant Choyney. Among other statements Broomfield has made to the house surgeon at the infirmary he says that some years ago he was shot in the head by a gentleman with whom he then lived, and that he has since been subject to fits of mental derangement. The wife of the wretched man visited him at the infirmary yesterday. THE SUNNINGHILL MURDER.—Yesterday at noon Frederick Croft, alias William Smith, the tramp suspected of the minder of Elizabeth Butler, at Mr Crutchley's lodge, Sunninghill-park, was brought beforo Messrs C. Sawyer (chairman), J. liercy, T. J. Homy, C. J. Palmer, C. C. Ferrard, and J. J. Pocock, the sitting county magistrates 'at the Maidenhead County Police-court, for re-exami nation, the prisoner having been remanded from last Mon day. The court was densely crowded, while the Exterior of the building was surrounded with people anxious to get a glimpse of the prisoner, who was brought into court by Mr Superintendent Iremonger, shortly after the magistrates had taken their seats on the bench. During the prisoner's remand fresh evidence had been collected by the Barks con stabulary, and Colonel Blandy, the chief constable for tho county, was again in attendance to press the chargn against the prisoner. The first witness examined was Margaret bleyrick, who said she was a Scripture reader, and lived at No. 2, Cambridge-terrace, Windsor. On tho evening of the 15th of October she heard screams issuing from the arch ways of the Great Western Railway and cries of "Murder!" These arches were about 200 yards' distance from her resi dence. She opened her window, but not hearing any other cries shut it down again, That was between 11 and 12 o'clock at night. On Sunday morning, the 161 h Oct, about 10 minutes past 11, while she was going to church, she heard a man and woman quarrelling under the same archway, but nearer the gas-house. When oho went down the turning opposite the water and leading to the river Thames she saw the man and woman again, and distinctly heard the woman call the man "a murderous villain," upon which the man advanced towards the woman as if ho was going to strike her, but stopped and did not do so. Tho woman then said, "You know you are a murderer,"and the man turned towards the woman, and said something which the witness did not hear. The woman said in a crying tone, "You'll soon be somewhere whero you won't be able to kill people." That was all witness heard, and she remained near the spot as a protection to the woman. They were more than 100 yards distant when she first saw them, but they wore nearer when she heard what was said. Witness on being asked if she could identify the prisoner said she was in doubt. The man appeared darker, had more whiskers about his face, and looked dirtier than the prisoner. It will be remembered that Croft had been in gaol a month. Witness continued, she thought he had a pink striped or plaid shirt on when she saw the man, but witness looked more at the woman than the man. She was a stout, full-faced woman, but was not near enough for the witness to notice any 'nuke on the face. The woman was of medium height, but she was not near enough to her to notice if she were pock-marked. On the Saturday morning she noticed a woman with a pretty little dog—a brown terrier. She thought it was the same woman with it then whom she saw on the next day. To the best of her belief the prisoner at the bar was the man she had seen with the woman referred to. The prisoner on being asked if he had any questions to ask the witness re - - plied in the negative. Mr Superintendent Iremonger, of the Berks constabulary, was next examined, and stated that about 11 o'clock on the lbth Oct. he received information of the murder of Elizabeth Butler, at Winkfield, and imme diately drove over and was shown the body of the deceased in the room on the loft side of the lodge. He saw a large quantity of blood just inside the front door. There was also blood upon the panels and doorpost of the larder. Ho made an examination of the premises, but could not find that anything had been tampered with, or that the drawers and boxes had been disturbed. He thou looked round the out side of the house, but could not find any footmarks, nor any weapon with which the murder could have been committed. From further inquiries he apprehended the prisoner on the 2Gth November, at Aylesbury, on his release from the gaol. Witness on taking him into custody said to him, "I apprehend you upon the charge of murdering Elizabeth Butler, in the parish of Winkfield, on the 15th October. It is my duty to caution you as to what you say, for what you do say I shall give in evidence before the magistrates," upon which the prisoner exclaimed, "I am innocent—l never was at Winkfield, and don't know where Winkfield is." Witness took from the prisoner the old slop he was wear ing, which ho produced, and on the front of which, to the bast of his belief, there as a spot of blood. The prisoner was then asked by - the chairman if he had any questions to ask this witness, and ho replied, "No, sir; I've ,nothing to say." Dr Hewitt (the surgeon, who was called to see the body of the deceased when the murder was discovered) examined the supposed spot of blood, and at first said it looked more like a grease spot. Dr Hewitt after this was placed in the witness-box, and was examined. He then said the spot upon the smock had the appea rance o f mu d . Ho had made a post mortem examination of the body of Elizabeth Butler, and came to the conclusion that death had been caused by the blows in flicted on the head of the deceased woman. The murder could not have been committed more than half an hour be. fore the crime was discovered. A short stout stick would have caused the injuries which the deceased had received. This was the whole of the evidence produced upon the pre sent occasion, at the close of which the magistrates retired to their private room for consultation, and on their return to the court remanded the prisoner for three days. Croft, who on his appearance in court appeared slightly flushed, and had seemed somewhat moved as Mrs Meyrick, the Scripture reader, gave her evidence, was then removed by Mr Superintendent Iremonger to the police cell. THE FALMOUTH MURDER.—Aibert Julius Wit, helm Rudolf, tbo German charged with stabbing J. Timmins, of Penryn, in a street quarrel at Falmouth, was on Saturday brought up on remand, before Mr Wm. Carne (Mayor) and Mr John Freeman, and committed to take his trial at the next Cornwall assizes for wilful murder, and during the day he was removed to the county gaol at Bud min. Mr Superintendent Julyan, of the borough police force, was boturl over to prosecute, and 16 witnesses were also bound to give evidence at the trial —among the number are five foreigners. The evidence adduced on Friday even ing was to the effect that the prisoner's coat and cap which he wore on the night of the murder was found on some tim ber near the dry dock on Sunday, havin; apparently been recently washed. The evidence of Holman, belonging to her Majesty's ship Sc. George, which the prisoner desired to be given, was not of the least importance, and his deposition was not taken. He was not on the spot until some time after the murder was committed,— Trostern Horning Net's, SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, TIMES.—Lord Clarence Paget found the electors of Deal in a very good humour last Friday, and he inproved the occasion by saying a good word for himself, his department, his colleagues, and the Go vernment generally. Like Mr Childers at Pontos fract, he seemed to think the subject of the Navy somewhat closely connected with the subject of Finance, as no doubt it is; and so, before entering upon questions immediately concerning our naval administration, he expatiated with considerable satisfaction on our fiscal policy generally. We have had eleven millions of taxes remitted within the last four years. The National Debt has been re duced by six millions, and, besides this, the process of converting permanent into terminable charges has been steadly, though slowly, going on. Such results, achieved in the teeth of a terrible expendi ture, Lord Clarence thinks highly creditable to the Government, and challenges our admiration for the "extraordinary wisdom of its financial measures," WTe hope all this talk about reductions is not pre paratory to new demands; bat Lord Clarence speaks somewhat ominously when he comes to the interesting topic of the impending estimates. These, he tells us in the usual terms," will be framed with the utmost regard to economy," but he feels ob liged to add that certain views recently expressed with regard to "great and sweeping reductions" will not be entertained. He even lets us into the secret a little further, and warns us more particu larly to expect " a considerable increase in the votes for the docks and basins of this country." After this glimpse, however, of the future wo are whisked back to the present, and Lord Clarence is very anxious to have his say upon "some late criticisms of the Press," The Press has talked a good deal about the Victoria, just sent as flagship to the Mediterra nean, about the difficulty of manning her, and her uselessness when manned. The Press has also asked why the Royal Sovereign was putout of cont• mission so abruptly, and why this single specimen of the turret system was not more patiently tried. The conduct of the Admiralty in these particulars had been made the subject of " very constant criticisms," but Lord Clarence is so well acquainted with the "love of fair play among Eng lishmen" that he knows he may anticipate a "can. did and impartial hearing" for his explanations. This he shall certainly have, and though one of his colleagues has already forestalled him to no groat purpose, the public shall see what the Secretary of the Admiralty himself can say for these proceedings of his department. The Victoria, being a wooden three-decker, carrying upwards of 100 guns, and requiring at least 1,000 men to fight them, has been sent to one of our chief naval stations, there to carry the flag of the Admiral in command of the fleet. Now, at the beginning of this very speech Lord Clarence bad justified the late heavy e x p en dit ure upon the Navy by explaining the necessity which had existed for reconstructing it, and substituting armour-plated ships for wooden vessels, as the only ships by which our position at sea could be upheld. It was this inevitable obligation that cost us all the money that Lord Clarence spoke of, and therefore the press, and the public too, felt much surprise at seeing one of the most extravagant specimens of the condemned fleet brought forward at an enormou s cost for active service. This proceeding Lord C. Paget now explains by telling us that the Victoria was wanted in the Mediterranean fleet, not for mere stateliness or dignity's sake, nor yet solely for the accommodation of the Admiral's Staff, but for the reception of supernumeraries for the service of the squadron. A large fleet requires constant reinforce ments, by fresh draughts of seamen, and these men are all - sent in the first instance to the flagship, thence to be distributed among the other vessels of th e squadron as occasion may require. It might happen that as many as 200 sailors at a time would need lodging in this way, and what, asks Lord Clarence, would the country say if pestilence were bred among these men by their being cramped up on board a ship "only fit to go immediately into action"— that is to say, an ironclad? To this we reply that the argument raises a most important point; and that if our ironclads are only fit for the mere work of a battle, and are not habitable vessels, the sooner our naval architects are apprised of this defeet the better ; but this will not in the least degree help the Admiralty out of their difficulty. Let us admit, for the sake of argument, that every squadron on active service requires a large floating barrack for the accommodation of draughts from home and the transaction of general business; we must then ask why this barrack, or clerks office, or Admiral's residence, or whatever it is to be considered, should be regarded also as a fighting ship, when, by the admission of the argument itself, she is nothing of the kind. Why should this floating hotel carry 100 guns and upwards of 1,000 men to work these guns, especially when such a crew would occupy and absorb the very space which is wanted for others P If the Victoria were nothing more than a little fhating Admiralty we could understand the matter; but she pretends also to be a fighting ship, and in that capacity carries an immense complement of righting wen and guns. Lord Clarence declares that these men were provided for her without difficulty ; but ho does not tell us from what ships they were taken, nor how the matter would have brew managed bad no vessels been pet conveniently out of com mission just at that time. There, however, is the fact that a ship which Lord Clarence Paget does not attempt to say is fit for action, and which Mr. Childers thinks adapted for duty mainly because there is no expectation of war, is sent out with an array of men and guns suitable only to a fighting ship of the first class. Both Mr. Childers and Lord Clarence excuse this unlucky vessel as only designed for civil duties, forgetting that she is rated, manned, and armed as a first-rate man-of.war, and entails upon the country and the service a corresponding charge. Apart from this business of the Victoria and the question of the Royal Sovereign, which the Secretary of the Admiralty handles with par. tiality rather than prejudice, the Navy seems in a " satisfactory" condition--at least, so Lord Clarence thinks. But he forgets that the people in office always think so, and that it is the people succeed.. ing them who are invariably dissatisfied with the bequests of their predecessors. We shall feel a good deal more confidence ou this head when a Conservative Secretary says as much for Lord Clarence as Lord Clarence his said for him self, and we get a somewhat unpleasant glimpse of contingencies in a little sentence of this very speech. Lord Clarence positively assures us that the Royal Sovereign had as fair and full a trial as possible, and not only that, but that, in his opinion, she proved herself a great success, insomuch, he added, that " we have now under consideration the conversion of one of our large armour.plated ships, which is now under construction, into a ship upon that prin ciple." 'This is rather alarming. It opens a pros. pect of one more "reconstruction." We have, as the Secretary tells us, no less than 30 armour-plated ships built or building, and of these at least 25 are vessels of some description or other on the broadside principle : B ut if ther e are already such misgivings of this principle that we are beginning to " convert" one of the most costly specimens before it is com pleted, it is evident that a future Secretary of the Admiralty may possibly come to condemn our whole iron fleet. If the superiority of the turret system should be established, the comparative inefficiency of the broadside system will be established also, and there will be all our work to do over again once more. Lord Clarence has HOW said almost too much for himself. If the turret principle contained all this potential value, the Royal Sovereign should have been launched a good deal earlier, and a spe cimen of tier kind better adapted for sea-going should have been com mence d l ong ago. I t i s b y neglecting inventions too long that we incur such heavy charges. The turret system may be better or worse than tho broadside system, but we ought to have ascertained the fact before we adopted the broadside system for five-sixths of our new and costly navy. POST.—The Austrian Reichsrach is outstripping the Imperial Government in its pursuit of the policy of domestic conciliation which it declared a few days ago to be the counterpart of its desire for " the consolidation of a lasting European peace." Both is Venetia and Galioia a state of siege has hitherto prevailed. The Government, however, terminated a few days ago that condition of affairs in Venetia ; and the Ileichsrath has now con demned, in terms quite intelligible, though not in those of direct censure, its continuance in Galicia also. M. de Schmerling is too prudent and too con ciliatory to do otherwise than adopt the views of the Chamber, which aro really essential to the con summation of his own policy. He is held to imper sonate the principle of a combination of representa tion with centralisation in the Austrian empire, and that idea is the idea also of the leading and more liberal of the purely Austrian statesmen. It has been, no dolbt, from first to last a hazardous scheme, and a very doubtful problem. But it was at the same time the only scheme of centralisation for that composite empire that was not plainly impossible. Many attempts have been made at different times to centralise Austria. The two most notable of them were of Joseph IL during his novennium from 1780 to 1789, and that of Prince Schwartzenberg, his successor Count Buol, and the colleague of either of them as Minister of the Interior, Baron Bach, dur ing the ten years between the subjugation of Hun gary and the outbreak of the Italian war, 1819.59. Both attempts, however, proceeded on a false basis. The latter, in particular, was simply a centralisation by means of military despotism—in other words, something akin to a permanent state of siege. Hos. tile nations, each with its own traditions and its own suppressed constitution, were indiscriminately go verned like conquered provinces by a German bureaucracy with German bayonets at their back. The only question then was, not whether, but when, such a system would break down. At length an ilia genious scheme was devised for combining the cell' tralisation which the Court d es i re d, and the exige n ` cies of Government absolutely demanded, with thet representative system necessary to its acceptance liu the people. The traditions o f e ach nation of t he empire were to be preserved; the people were to ohsr e in legislation ; but the whole imperial power was t . ,`' be centred at Vienna. To do thi s th e Hungarian ao", other local Diets were called a ga in i n t o existence; hil l ' they were made subordinate to a central Parliament; which would be chiefly composed of their delegate!' This was the present but still imperfect Reichsrath . But from the moment that this plan was deter.' mined on, it was plain that its essence consisted 10 a policy of force being replaced by a policy of con ciliation. The di ffi culty rested in the means of in d ducing the Hungarians, the Galicians, the Croats, and the Venetians to accept the compromise, and t° send their delegates to Vienna, so as to form th e o Reichsrath. It was an instance of the old story 01 leading a horse to water without being able to moY ci e said, the drink. Even now, a s we h ave a l r eady s the Reichsrath is not fully constituted, though " appears to be sufficiently so to enable it to periwig legislative functions for the empi re , an d to arrogate great weight to its deliberations both with t he Austrian Government and oven with the whole , 0f Europe. In this juncture of th e p rog ress of tu ° Austrian Constitution a groat ch ange has sudden ly taken place in the character and policy of the o°' vernment. The old Court notions, military tancial and aristocratic prejudices of the high Austrian party, which were impersonated in Count Rechbergl have given way. Popular ideas, pacific Ben timentt; and a disposition to accept the existing state of things, have forced their ground, and have apPa# rently taken more or less complete possession of the Austrian Government. It is, in fact, in this con: version of the Government by the Reichsrath that the latter has gained at once the most recent and most striking illustration of its moral authority Time heals many sores. The discomfiture of 18 59 rankled for a long time in the breasts of Austrian politicians. No one could wonder that it should be so. But since that time the great Italian Kingdom has been gradually establishing itself. The Court of Turin, in proportion as it has consolidated its internal power, has become more conservative in its foreign relations, and more and more disposed to content itself with whatever fortune a purely pacific policy may bring. It has thus become more prac ticable for Austria and Italy to meet upon friendly terms ; and the change of feeling and policy whic h , has thus been brought about by the reciproca concessions of both parties can only have its result in the recognition of the Italian king' dom by the Austrian Government. Perhaps the greatest importance of this tendency to peace and conciliation between Italy and Austria is that it means a policy of disarmament on both sides. The time is come when both parties are ripe for this declaration. Each wants to consolidate its own government. Each wants also to curtail its ex' penditure—and Italy and Austria both know that by a formal understanding of this kind they might strike off between a hundred and a hundred an d fifty thousand men from their muster rolls—and thus, while they afford a substantial pledge for future peace, at once solve the financial difficulties with which they are both beset. This done, Austria would concentrate her attention on the reconcilia d Lion of Hungary and Galicia with her own rule--aa Italy, on the other hand, would devote herself to the complete subordination of the South to the House of Savoy and the new Government at the Florentine capital. What both Governments equally need and desire it seems difficult to believe Oat they will not obtain. The formal completion of friendly relations with the Italian kingdom is all that Austria requires in order to give full effect to the recommendations of the Reichsrath, which M. do Schmerling has, for the most part, endorsed. Ile appears, indeed, to offer some opposition to the Reichsrath on the subject of the state of siege that has prevailed in Galicia; but this seems to be the main point of difference. To a great extent, Count Mansdorff and M. de Schmerling appear to repro' sent the popular view as to the line of foreign and domestic policy that Austria should pursue—and wo believe that that policy is one which is in the common interest of Austria and Italy. COUNTRY MARKETS. _____.___.t...~..._____. COLCHESTER-DEC. 3. We had a fair supply of whoat on offer at our market to-day, and previous quotations were generally m a i n tained. Finp barley, with a fair demand, at fully late prices; other sorts vrere dull and cheaper. Beans and peas were saleable at former rates. Wheat, white 40s 46s Beans,Mazagan..33s 36J red 36s 42s middle & small.3ss 40e Barley Oats GLOUCESTER-DEC. 3. There was a large supply of English wheat to-day at our market, which sold slowly at late prices. Foreign Wm; in limited demand, at about former rates. Barley, oats, and beans were dull. NORTHAMPTON-DEC. 3. IVhite wheat, now, 39s to 433; new red, 37s to 4 00 ; old. 40s to 44s per qr. Barley, new malting, 32s to 348-- other sorts, 26e to 295. Old oats, 28a to 320 ; new, 20s to 27e per 2/ stone. Beans, 36s to 44.. Peas, 34s to 38s per qr. CHELMSFORD—DEc. 2. At this corn exchange to-day the supply of wheat waS abundant, but we again have a dull trade, end last week'S quotations were barely maintained. Spring corn met with a slow sale, and at no advance in prices. Wheat, old white 40e 458 Yeas, Partridge.... 36e 38s new 40e 41s White 30s 340 old red....39s 40s Boiling new 37s 40s Dun 31s 3 5 s Barley 253 32s Ditto new —s —s Chevalier Grinding 20s 28s new..—e —S Malt.... Chevalier 64s 68s LleW . . —8 "" Oats 20s 26s Mazagan ..... .. 333 35.1 KIRKCALDY GRAIN-DEQ. 3. We had fair supplies of barley and oats at our market to-day, but small of wheat. Barley is and oats 6d per qr down. Wheat much the same as last week. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Fir5t....338.0d 1 21s Od I 168:0d Second .. 37s Oct 22s Od 175.0 d Third.,..—s Od 24s Od 17s 6d: COAL M. Moos of Coal per Ton al ,ItK ET. the close of the market. a. d. Byass's Bebside West Hartley ....19 0 Hastings Hartley ....19 0 Holy well 19 0 ‘Vallicr Primrose 16 9 West Hartley ..19 0 Walls End. Walls End. south Hetton hips at markel .. 0. Hetton 23 0 K eiper Grange 22 3 II eugh Hall 22 3 Hartlepool 23 0 East Hartlepool 23 0 Tath Hartlepool 22 0 Trimdon Grange 21 0 South Kelloe 22 3 t, 70 ; sold, 68, Foreign Mail Packet List. EMAILS:DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton... .. .. Dec. 19. amines: ....... .. Dec. 13, Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. . Dec. 5. Cape of Good Hope, ABCEIIBiOII, and St. Helena.. Dec. 29. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton.Doo. 2. via Marseilles ... Doc. 13. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Dec. 2. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Dec. 2. via Marseilles.... Dec. 2. India (Bombay), via Southampton .. --.. - - via Marseilles Dec. 6. Portugal.... ...... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton via Marseilles Dec. 6. Newfoundland ..D 7. Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... De 6 • by U.S. packet.... by Canadian paoket.Deo. 9. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneniffo Dec.ll. West Indies and Pacific 13ahaulas (via New York) b Deo. 15. ermuda (ditto) üba and Alcamo ... Dec 29. Births. NOEL. —On the 4th inst., at 31, Bruton•street, the wife at the Hon. Gerard Noel, M.P., of a son. ROTHNEY.—On the sth inst., at 218, Strand, the wife of Forrest Rothney, Eeq., of a daughter. SCOBELL.—On tho 6th inst., the wife of Henry S. Scobell, Esq., of The Abbey, Porshore, of a daughter. Marriages. BARLOW—AnuNsoN.--011 the Ist inst., at St. Mery'de Bath, Oldham Thomas Barlow, Esq., of Woodhill, Bath hampton, Bath, to Emily Graham, daughter of the late Henry Wm. Atkinson, Esq., of 7th Dragoon Guards. HAWIEINS—COLYER.—On the 3d inst., at St. Gile'o, ear n " berwell, John Hawkins, Esq., of Champion Surrey, to Anne, the younger and only surviving daughter of the late Thomas Colyer, Esq., of Joyce Hall, Southfield , Kent. Deaths. BECTIVE.—On the 4th inst., at 24, Grafton-street, the Countess of Bective. BEDFORD.—On the Ist inst., at Croydon, Peter Bedford, aged 81. CONVELL.—On the 4th inst., very suddenly, Silas Cowell, of Canterbury, aged 73. CARTER.—On the Ist inst., at Kirby Moorside, the Rev. W. D. Carter, vicar, aged 68. GLASFURD.—On the Ist inst., at Edinburgh, Major-Gees Glasfurd, Bengal Engineers, retired.— JAFFRAY.-On the 4th inst., at Betchworth, Surrey, , . JBffray, Eeri , aged 42. WINTOUR. —On the let inst. ' at Barton, near Nottinghault the Rev. F. Wintour, aged 61. London: Printed and Frio:fished by WI LLIAAI ANDRE W . S. of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Trim SUN Oifiee N " 2 °' 4 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the COV iltY Ailddlestx.—Tuesday, December 6, IE6I. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 6, 1864.