The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY. The House met at five o'clock. THE SEES OF DURHAM AND LONDON, The second reading of the Bishops of London and Durham Retirement Bill was moved by The LORD CHANCELLOR, who stated that its object was to allow the two prelates, who had signified their desire, in consequence of infirmities which incapacitated them from the discharge of the duties of their sees, to retire to act in accordance with their wishes. A long discussion followed, in the course of which Lord Redesdale, the Bishops of London and Oxford, the Duke of Newcastle, and the Earl of Derby, while assenting to the principle that bishops should be allowed to retire, objected to this special measure likely to prevent general legislation on the subject. The Earl of HARROVBY defended the bill. Upon a division, there appeared : Contents for the Bill Non-contents against, Majority The bill was accordingly read a second time. THE WAR DEPARTMENT In reply to the Duke of SOMERSET, Lord PANMURE said it was not intended to make any change in the position of the Commander-in-Chief, con— sequent upon the relations between the offices of Secre tary for War, and the Commander-in -Chief. Lord MELVILLE remarked that he thought that all the superior appointments in the army should be vested in the Commander-in-Chief. The subject then dropped. The Saint Sepulchres Manor Dublin Bill, was read a third time and passed. A number of o,t'ner bills were advanced a stage, and their lordships rose at twenty minutes past nine o'clock. Hr3USE OF COMMONS.-TIIESDAY The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con.. sidered and agreed to, viz. :—Crystal Palace Company Bill, Gloucester Gas (No. 2) Bill, Grand Junction Water Bill, Leeds Improvement Act 4 Amendment Bill, London and South-Western Railway (Yeovil to Exeter) Bill, Thames Haven Dock and Railway Bill. The Perth Burgh and Harbour (No. 2) Bill was read a third time and passed. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Sir W. JOLLIFFE a new writ was ordered for the County of Dorset, in the room of the Right Hen. Geo. Bankes, deceased. MEMBER'S QUALIFICATION, Mr. ROEBUCK presented a petition from Mr. William Lovett, a person well-known in the political circles for his advocacy of people's charter, praying for the abolition of property qualification of members of parliament, and the substitution of an intellectual and moral qualification of a high standard. The petitioner also prayed that a public court of examiners might be established, before whom candidates for seats in the legislature should present themselves for examination, and without whose diploma they should not be entitled to represent any constituency. COAST OIIARD DEFENCES BILL. On the order for the second reading of this bill, Sir CHARLES WOOD entered into a lengthened explana tion of the present state and efficiency of the navy. No one who had taken part in the ad uinistration:of the navy could have failed to observe the difficulties that stood in the way of manning the navy on an emergency ; the great wealth of the country enabled it at all times to provide ample stores and material, but there was ever this diffi_ culty standing in the way, that no means could be devised for securing a nucleus for the navy so far as its living fora) was concerned. Men, like ships and ammunition, could not be created and stored up for the period when they might be wanted, and the great aim of all naval authorities had hitherto been to devise some scheme which The late should, to some extent, supply the deficiency. war, to some extent, had helped us to the solution of part of the problem, but there still remained much to be learned, and the measure now before the House must be taken as only part of one great plan for always ensuring the effi cient manning of the navy. The idea of reverting to the old system of impressment was quite out of the question ; indeed, it appeared to be quite unnecessary ; for during the late war we raised no less than 12,000 men, within a period of eight or nine months without impressment. That feat was accomplished through the agency of increased pay and bounties, and having this experience of the working of a new system before them, it was for Parliament 'to determine how far it was possible to place it upon a pernaanent footing. At ail events it was necessary for the defences of the country that measures should be i mmediat ely taken to secure at any time the efficient manning of the navy, Prance and Russia had for years been a'ale to keep up a much larger naval force than Engls'And both in point of men and ships, and self-defence, as ',sell as policy, dictated that for the future we should st ,and in no inferior position to that of either of those two 'great maritime Powers. Their most pressing want ifitherto had been ships and material ; they had never been able to excel or equal us in that respect, but both ,having a conscription applicable to seamen, they had never experieuced.any want of men, while of late they had 'made, and were still making, the most strenuous exertions to supply the deficiency of vessels and material. Accord ing to the best authorities, France could always command the services of 40,000 seamen, with great facilities of con centration, and the object the Admiralty had in view was to place England in a similar position. He did not mean to say that this bill, alone, would accomplish the objects but go :far to pave the way to do it. Hitherto, England had only had three sources of reserve for the navy, viz., the riggers, the coast-guard, and the pensioners ; but eluring the late war we were not able to draw more than :2,500 men from these sources. Certainly, if he were to say '3,000, it would be over the mark; and he was sure the Mouse would agree with him that it was neither for the security, nor the honour of the country, that such a state of things should be allowed to continue. The main oNect of the bill was to extend the number of the coast-guard, which now counted some 5;000 Irsen, and render it more naval in character and employ_ spent. The men would be discharged from the force at a anuch earlier period than usual, so as to keep a large 'number of young men constantly in reserve, and the maximum of the force would be fixed at 10,000 men. He did not mean to say that so large a number would be raised at once, but the coast-guard would never exceed that strength. There were persons connected with the coast-guard who had not been trained to a seafaring life ; these would not be disturbed in their regulations, but their places would not be filled up when they died, or were pensioned off. The existing coast-guard was most inadequate for the duties it had to perform, in preventing smuggling; but as a means of defence, in its present. strength, it was quite powerless. The House was aware that there had been frequent complaints of the defence less state of many parts of the coast, and to remove those complaints, it was proposed by this bill to place ships of war in most of the ports and open places of the coast, each 144ard ship having some of the gun boats raised during the late war attached to it as tenders. Under the existing -aw the Admirality had power to raise 10,000 naval coast volunteers, but for the want of means of train ing only a portion of that number had been enlisted, and it was proposed by this bill to supply that deficiency, and so gradually bring up the strength of the corps to its full onupliment. These were the principal provisions of the bill, and it now oily remained for him to move the House to give it a second reading, Sir J. GRAHAM supported the bill, believing that in the absence of such a system of registration as that in force in France we had no alternative but to resort to such a scheme as this measure embodied. At the same time it w ould not be p ru d en t e ntirely to giv e up the principle of enlistment ; it must still be ,retained as a last resort in future contingencies, but though it would be retained he w as Yet decidedly of opinion that, as a rule, the co uld only b e recruited by attraction, and not b navy y force, , Sir F . BARING supported the bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said if he had to decide this question simply upon the amount of saving it would secure to the country in the management of the coast -guard, he should object to it ; but, looking at the necessity for increasing the defensive resources of the c (entry, he had no alternative but to throw aside mere fiscal considerations and to assent to the bill. At the earns time the amplest provision would be made for the protection of ,the'custorns revenue, which he need hardly THE remind' the House yielded something like £23,000,000 a year, although in future years the items for the coast• guard would come within the navy, and not the customs, estimates. After some further discussion, in which Mr. Hadfield, Mr. Maguire, and Mr. it)ebuck, took part, the bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed. THE MUTINY' AT NENAGH In reply to a question put by Colonel DUNNE, Mr. PEEL said, the militia disturbances at Nenagh were under enquiry, and it would, therefore, be injudicious to make any statement on the subject. PAY BILL The Militia Pay Bill went through committee, after a discussison upon clause 3, which was retained, on a divi sion, by 62 votes to 44 —Majority, 18. isiEW WHIT, On the motion of Mr. HATTER, a new writ was ordered to be issued for Frome, in the room of Lord Dungarvon, who has been called to the upper House as Earl of Cork. The other business for the morning sitting was post poned, and the sitting was suspended. The SPEAKER resumed the chair at six o'clock. CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANUATIOINS, In reply to Mr. OTWAY, The CIIANCCLLOR of the ExcuEQUEn stated, that the Civil Service Superanuation Bill would be taken on Friday next. THE MILITARY CRIMEAN COMMISSION. In answer to Mr. PALK, Mr. PEEL said, it was the intention of the Government to lay on the table, forthwith, the report of the Crimean --- • ' commission. THE REVIEW AT ALDERSHOTT. -- --- Lord PALMERSTON moved that the House, at its rising, should adjour❑ till Thursday, in order that members might have an opportunity of witnessing the review at Aldershott on Wednesday, and stated that arrangements had been made for the conveyance of members to the spot Mr. DISRAELI and Mr. HENLEY protested against the principle of providing amusement for members at the public expense. After a brief conversation the subject dropped THE IRISH EXECUTIVE The ATTORNEY-GENERAL fly Ireland availed him!elf of the opportunity which the motion for adjournment afforded him, to revert to the charges that had been made against him in reference to the escape of Mr. James Sadleir, and the discussion upon the subject in that House. He denied that he had charged the Irish Master of the Rolls with breaking his oath as a privy councillor, and in cor roboration of his statement, referred to the reports of the debate to which Mr. Napier referred, when he declared that such a charge had been made by him. He referied to the reports of the debate published in the Times, Morning Herald, the Dublin Daily Express, and the Dublin Evening Mail. He quoted the reports in each of these journals, to show that his statement was to the effect that, if' Mr. Sadleir had escaped, he had no doubt been induced to leave the country in consequence of the irregular obser vations of the Master of the Rolls, and he declared that the only charge which he had made against that judge, was that of irregularity. The right hon. and learned gentleman proceeded to contend that that charge was warranted by the extraordinary course taken by the Master of the Rolls in exceeding his duty by interference with matters which did not come within the jurisdiction of his court. He then re e erred to the statement of the Master of the Rolls on the 11th of July, which he stated on authority upon which he could rely, had been furnished by the learned Judge to the Dublin Evening 111ai1, from which he quoted. The allegations in that statement were, he said, of such a nature that if any one of them was founded on fact, .he (the Attorney-General) was not fit to continue in the responsible office which he then held, and stated his belief that they were made under excitement and in ignorance of the facts of the case. The right hon. and learned gentleman then detailed all the proceedings itt the case, showing that there had been no delay in the steps taken by the Government, and that, contrary to the opinion of the Solicitor_General, Mr. Brewster, and the junior counsel employed by the Government, he had placed his mandate upon the Crown Solicitor in Dublin to prosecute Mr. James Sadleir on the part of the Crown. He wished to deal candidly with the House, and he therefore felt bound to state that he did not consider Mr. James Sadleir to be amenable. He was not in pos. session of documents which showed that immediately after appearing before the manager and shareholders of the Tipperary bank, and swearing affidavits, Mr. Sadleir embarked o❑ board a steamer and left the country, and that he tl,.d in consequence of the remarks of the Master of the Rolls. The right hon. and learned gentleman said he placed his case in the hands of the House, and, while regretting the unseemly controversy with the Master of the Rolls, which he had been drawn into, trusted that he had fairly and satisfactorily answered the charges of that learned and high functionary. Mr. NAPIER regretted that he had been referrel to as the accuser of the Attorney-General of Ireland. He had declined to propose a resolution condemning the right hon. and learned member's conduct, until that officer had made a statement of his proceed ings, and now that that statement had been made he had to declare he had no charge to make. He defended the Master of the Rolls, to whose observations he contended it was owing that the serious charges against James Salleir were laid before the public- The motion for adjournment over Wednesday was then agreed to. THE WINE DUTIES Mr. OLIVEIRA drew attention to the high duty charged upon foreign and colonial wines, and proposed, with a view to promote increased commercial relations with France, Spain, Portugal, and other wine growing countries —the adoption of the following resolution:—That the House will resolve itself into committee to take into con sideration a reduction of the wine du' ies. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed the motion. Mr PELLATT supported, and Mr. P. O'BRIEN, and Mr. B. MOORE opposed the motion, which was ultimately withdaawn. FEMALE REFOR VATORIES Mr. W. HlGus moved that the House !should resolve itself into a committee to consider the propriety of grant ing sums in aid to any Reformatories for Penitent Females at present existing, or that may hereafter be established. The motion, however, failed upon a point of order. THE TURKISH CONTINGENT Colonel DUNNE moved an address to the Crown for a copy of the correspondence between the Minister of War and General Beatson, lately employed as Commander of a Turkish Contingent, as to certain charges preferred againit that officer. _ Mr. PEEL explained that the enquiry into the conduct of General Beatson, was merely a preliminary one, founded upon an anonymous communication to General Vivian, and it had appeared that the charges were not well founded. The motion was negatived without a division, THE OFFICE OP CURSITOR BARON ..... Leave was given to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to bring in a bill to abolish the Office of Cursitor Baron of the Exchequer. The Hay and Straw Trade Bill were read a second The Consolidated Fund Appropriation Bill was read a third time and passed. The Income and Land Taxes Bill, the Stamp Duties Bill, and the Racehorse Duty Bill, went through com mittee. The Court of Appeal in Chancery (Ireland) Bill was read a third time and passed. The Queen's College (Ireland) Bill was withdrawn, and the order for the second reading discharged. The Mercantile Law Amendment (Scotland) Bill was read a third time and passed. The other business was disposed of, and the House adjourned at quarter to two o'clock. THE MILITIA M UTINY IN IRELAND. —The constabulary were engaged for some days last week searching in Nenagh and its vicinity for the missing arms of the North Tipp nary Militia. Several stand of arms were discovered in the fields and elsewhere ; and it is considered that at present nearly all have been recovered, or otherwise accounted fur. ORANGE RIOT AT NEWCASTLE - ON-TYNE. —on Saturday evening a most brutal and serious riot, caused by a' large body of Irish Ribbonmen attacking a body of Orangemen, took place, in which several of the latter were injur e d , an d , if rep or t be true, one or two have been killed. Several of the offenders are known, but, up to the present, only two ar ein custody—J o h n H anna h , a metal cleaner, and Patrick Al'Avoy. The latter was brandishing an open knife when taken into custody. It is evident that the upon tbe Orangemen was a premeditated plan by the attack Ribbonmen, as the latter had assembled at the Felling early in the morning b y s teals some walking to th e p l ace, w hi le others came b y hefrom their persons. Ne wcastle, havi ng th e i r arms secreted about NORTHERN TIMES.- CHARGE OF MURDER AT TRANATERE Yesterday, Hugh Parry, who resides at Tranmere, way brought up before Mr. Bingham, at the Birkenhead Polio Court, charged with having eatred the death of his sister, Mrs. Loma*. Mr. Bretlierton appeared foi• the peisoner. Mr. Wm. James Macdougall deposed : I am a surgF on, re siding in Birkenh , ad. On the night of ttie 3r,t Juiy, I was called on a'tend iklary .I,ne T...max, residing at Green lane, Tranmere. I found her in her bed, suffering from tetanus or lockjaw. She complained of pains in her throat, more particularly in the upper part of the left side of her throat. She had great difficulty i❑ wallowing even a tea spoonful of fluid. She also spat Wood, and the emission of the sputa from the mouth was acconipanied with the hissing noise peculiar to eases of lockjaw. She was in an extremely exhausted condition, but perfectly sensible. I continued to attend her until the time of her death, which occurred on the Bth instant. On the sth of July (having, on account of the fixed pain in her throat, suspected local injury) I asked her to give a full account of herself, and particularly as to whether she had sustained any bodily injury. She then stated to me that she had bean violently grasped in the throat by- Mr. Bretherton interfered, and oljected to any statement made by the & ceased, and i m pli cat i ng ot h ers, from bang at present admitted in evidece.a. The examination of Mr. Macdong.ell then proceeded : I had led her to understand that she would not recover, and I feel confident she was under the full impression she could not recover at the time she made her statement to me about the injuries to ber throat. On the 10th July instant I male a post mortem examination of the deceased by order of the coroner. Upon examining, the throat I found extensive ulceration on both sides near the upper part of the gullet, or pharynx, surrounded by extremely livid dis colouration. The skin of the back and sides of the neck and shoulders was very much discoloured. There was an abscess under the scalp at the upper and back part of the head, and the bone was denuded of its covering and rough. On opening the head I found the membranes congested, and slight effusion of serum on the surface and into the ventricles of the brain. There was partial softening of the crura cerebri, of the pens vco olii, and of the contiguOne portion of the cerebegum. 7„„, spinal cord, at the centre of the back, was also softened. The livid congestion and ulceration in the •hroat might have been caused by blows, or contusions, also by the pressure of the thumb or fingers. And the injury on the back of the head might h ave b een pro d uced by a fall or blow. In the 'crass-examination by Mr. Bretherton, the witness said.-:.The discolcuration of the external part of the neck, might to some extent have been caused by the tetanus, or by the body lying on the back. I examined the entire body. I found marks of simple boils on the legs. I did not find any marks to induce me to believe she had suffered from any particular or venereal disease. The throat had not the appearance of Ulceration from such disease. If a person had been suffering froth that disease, it would have caused a different kind of ulcer in the throat, and a different affection of the bone. I should say the larger ulcerations had been of some months standing. I should not have expected the ulceration alone to have caused death by tetanus. I should have expected the ulceration to have been benefitted, it had been earlier treated, and no new injory inflicted. The ulcerations were covered with matter and blood. They were actual ulcerations in various stages of developement. Taking these ulcerations to have been occasioned by pres sure, I should take it that injury had been inflicted within the last two months, although I have reason to believe the first injury happened about Christmas. I consider they were all small at first, and preceded by congestion of the parts bruised. The ulcerations bring neglected; and in a weak constitution, might Account for appearances similar to what I found at the post mortem examination. I should not have expected to have found the ulceration where I did from, neglected diseases of the description mentioned. Ulcers are found there occasionally from that cause, but not in the farm I found them there. The character of the ulcers from that cause is different. The ulcerations were not in keeping with simply a weak constitution and severe cold. There was nothing necessarily fatal in the character of ulcers of the throat themselves, unless they had got extensive. The ulccrs being produced by violence, and accompanied with TERROR, produced the tetanus. I think terror, accompanied by injury, would produce tetanus, especially by injury of the neck. And it would result within two months of the injury. On a weak or delicate constitution, tetanus might happen much earlier. It might possibly result in a quarter of an hour after very severe injury. At the close of the evidence the prisoner was remanded until Tuesday next, at eleven o'clock, when further evi dence will be given. THE MELTON MURDER CAPITAL CONVICTION 0? THE ACCUSED, At the Luieretor nce;zoa, on Monad,. before Lord Chief Justice Jervis, William Brown, aged 33, a returned convict, was indicted for the wilful murder of Edward Woodcock, at Melton Mowbray, on the 19th of Tune last. The circumstances connected with the dreadful tragedy, out of which the present prosecution arose, have been too recently before the public to have been forgotten. Early on the morning of the 19th of June an old man, Edward Wood cock, who kept the Thorpe Arnold tollgate, near Melton, end his grandchild, a boy about eight years old, were found barbarously murdered in the tollhouse. The old man had been shot through the body, and had received as many as ten or eleven dangerous wounds from some sharp in strument. The carotid artery had been severed, and that was the immediate cause of death. The old man was pattly dressed, as if he had got up for the purpose of opening the gate. The time of the fatal occurrence was about half-past two, as a pistol shot was heard about that time. The little boy was also found with his throat desperately cut ; so that death must have immediately ensued. Two sixpences %Nero left in the old man's pockets, and a watch at the head of the boy's bed ; but it did not appear whether there had been any other money or valuables in the tollhouse. There were also found in the tollhouse a pistol and a tobacco-stopper, and on the morning of the 21st, in a ditch about three miles off, on the road from Melton to Hose, concealed among some weeds, a bundle of clothes was discovered. They consisted of a black silk neckerchief, a striped waistcoat, a shirt, corduroy trousers and a black hat. They were cut and torn, and wet, as if a hurried attempt had been made to wash them, but there were on the lining of thehrousers some spots of blood. The evidence against the prisoner depended in part upon the identification of these several articles. It appeared that the prisoner was a native of Scalford, about three miles from Melton, and that, having been transported, he returned there in the latter end of May. The prisoner's brother, who is a shoemaker, resided in the same neighbourhood, and had lent the prisoner a pair of corduroy trousers similar to those found in the bundle, and which were identified among other things" by spots of cobbler's wax upon them. Between the prisoner and his brother there had been some angry words respecting the wife of the latter, and upon that occasion the prisoner had brandished a pistol similar to the one found in the tollhouse, and also a large knife. The brother's wife gave evidence as to her belief that the shirt also found in the bundle was one which belonged to her husband, and which she had missed. It appeared further that on the 17 h . and 18th of Juno the prisoner had been making enquiries of several persons respecting old Woodcock, as to whom lived with him and what his habits were, whether he sat up all night or went to bed ; and the description given of his dress corresponded with the articles found in the bundle. It was also proved that footsteps were traced from within a hundred yards of the tollbar to a hovel near to which, on the evening of the 18th, the prisoner had been seen pulling off his shoes. On the following morning, after the murder had taken place, between five and six o'clock, the prisoner was met upon the road from Melton, going towards Stathorn Hardy and Notingham. He was then dressed not in corduroy trousers, as he had been for several days before, hut in dark blue coloured trousers, and he had on a straw hat, instead of a black one, It was proved also that he had some time before been seen at Leicester, wearing trousers of the same kind as he then had on. A witness from Nottingham deposed that on the sth of Juno he had seen the prisoner in possession of a tobacco stopper similar to the one found in the tollhouse. The prisoner was apprehended on the 22nd of June, at Weatherby in Yorkshire, by a constable who recognised him by the description which had been given of him, and upon his appre hension ho at first said that he was William Parker, a Bedford man, that he had lived as a gentleman's servant, and never been out of the kingdom ; but subsequently upon further information being obtained respecting him, he acknow ledged that his name was Brown, and that he came from Scalford ; but ho stated that he had slept at Nottingham on Wednesday night (the 18th), and ora the Thursday night at Leeds, and that he met a tramp on the road, to whom ho had given a shilling, a pair of trousers, and a shirt. Mr. O'Brien addressed the jury for the prisoner, and The learned Judge having summed up, The jury almost immediately returned a verdict of guilty. The learned Judge at once passed sentence of death, inform ing the prisoner that the crime of which he had been found guilty was too foul, and the evidence of his guilt too clear, to justify an extension of mercy to his case. In this world the gates of mercy were shut against him, and he implored him to use the time which would still be left to him in preparing him self by repentance for the awful change which • awaited him, remembering that, though mercy could not h 3 extended to him here, there is joy in Heaven over one sinner that re pen Seth. The prisoner, who had remained unmoved during the trial, now said that he should die cheerfully, for ho was as innocent as a child. THE FLORENTINE Potroz.—A hundred persons were arrested a few days since by the police of Florence on account of a tavern-keeper's opening supper, at which the company bad th e i n di scret i on to dr i nk the health of Mazzini, and sing revolutionary songs. Not only all the guests, but their relatives and friends, were taken into custody. The police bad been trying in vain, ever since May 28, to detect the perpetrators of the fireworks let off on that day—the anniversary of the battle of Montenard. -LIVERPOOL, WEDNE KIRKDALE SESSIONS-YESTERDAY 1 The -midsummer court of Quarter Sessions opened at Kirkdale, yesterday. rae ordinary meeting of magis trates for the general business was held at twelve o'clock. Lord Stanley, presided, and the other magistrates pres nt were—Messrs: William Hall Jdlln liosson, Robert A. Aspinall, Joseph Pollock, Gilbert Hen Jerson, James Hardy Wriglen, Robert Theakstone, John Campbell, William G. Unsworth, John A. Tinne, Spencer James Steers, Robert Berm, David Hodgson, J. W. Harden ) Ilidjor Bourne, Sohn S. T. Greene, Alfred Sylvester, Thomas Edwards Moss, William Preston, Adam Hodgson, and Theodore Rathbone. A formal opening of the business took place in the Crown Court, after which the Inag!strates retired to their room to proceed with the general business of the sessions. The report of the visiting justices was read, and stated that the duties of the prison had been carried out to their satisfaction during the past quarter. The discipline dur ing that period, and the health of the prisoners had been generally goo]. The norther Of prisoners in the gaol was 330 males and 80 females—in all, 410. Mr. Theakstone, in proposing the adoption of the report, called attention to the fact, that there was a harmless idiot in the gaol, and he therefore suggested that an application should be made to the Home Secre tary, to have the individual removed to a more proper place of protection. Mr. Pollock remarked, that this subject was at present engaging considerable attention. A communication was going on with the Commissioners of Lunacy with regard to the Rain hill asylum, and some gentlemen load also been in correspondence with the Poor-Law noard. There - was no doubt some measure must be adopted, by which idiots, and perfectly harmless, merely imbecile persons, might be separated from lunatics. The Chairman suggested that an application on the subject of the removal and separation of idiots generally should he made to the Home Secretary. This suggestion was agreed to, and the report was adopted. The report of the governor of the gaol was read, and stated that the system of discipline had been carried out as far as practicable, and that the state of the gaol was generally good. The number of prisoners in the gaol was as folows :—Prisoners for trial at the Assizes— felons, 43 males, 9 females-52 ; misdemeanants, 10 males, 2 females-12. Prisoners for trial at the Sessions— felons, 26 males, 6 females-32 ; misdemeanants, 9 males, 2 females-11. Under sentence from the Assizes —felons, 56 males, 18 females-74 ; misdemeanants, 34 males, 2 females. Under sentence for trial at the Assizes—felons, 15 males, 7 females; misdemeanants, 5 males, 2 females-7. During her Majesty's pleasure-- 1 male Transports, none., Penal servitude-3 females. Military prisoners, 5. From the Comity Cotirt.-5 females. Summary convictions-119 males, 29 females —total, 148. Fur examination, 2 females. The report was adopted. The finance committee rep , rted that they had examined the accounts of the coroners' during the past quarter, which they accordingly presented for allowance, as well as the accounts of the several inspectors of weights anti measures, the county surveyors, and the bridgemasters. An estimate was submitted of an amount of £95, required for repairs of bridges, which the com mittee recommended to be granted. The report was adopted. Iteports were read from the superiktendents of bridges in the Orrell district, as to the alleged encroachments of the Adam bridge. _ _ Mr. Tinne explained the nature of the encroachments, which were made by two parties. Air. Pollock moved that the question be adjourned to the next sessions, and that, in the meantime, the clerks of the peace obtain full information as to the legal bearings of the case, and the rights of the county, and report thereon. - Mr. Greene seconded the motion, which was carried. The coroners' accounts for the quarter *ere passed. The following gentlemen were appointed as the finance committee :—Messrs. Benn, Bromilow, Camp bell, Preston, Sanribach, Thompson, Theakstone, son, Theodore W. Rathbone, Bourne, and David Hodgson. The Chairman said, he understood it was only within the last few years the magistrates had held their meetings in that room, and that they were formerly held in open court.. He submitted it to the magistrates, whether they would, for the fature, transact their business in the open court, which he should be happy to assent to if it were thought desirable. Mi. Pollock said, although that room was, in point of fact, an open court, yet it was not generally understood to be so. Many persons seeing that it was the magis trates' room might not consider it to be open to the public, although the public had an undoubtful right to be present. lie thought it e:s.tretacly cicsirablo that all their business should be transacted in open court. Mr. Adam Hodgson said, he , thought he had been attending in that room for twenty years. He was very glad when tirst reporters were admitted, in order to make it a public court, and he quite approved of the business being transacted, as far as possible, in the presence of the public. Mr. Greene said, the magistrates' meeting was not formerly an open court, but it was more recently declared bylaw to be so. No resolution was adopted on the subject for the present Mr. Pollock called attention to the necessity of having as large an attendance of magistrates as possible on the appeal days. Some conversation took place on this subject, but it was not thought necessary to adopt any resolution. After some routine business had been disposed of, the court adjourned to ten o'clock thla morning, when the trials of criminals will commence. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF ABDUCTION On Saturday last, at the Worship -street Police-court, Mr. John Weakley, an extensive brush manufacturer in High street, Whitechapel, attended before Mr. D'Eyn - - court, the presiding magistrate, to request his advice and assistance under the following remarkable circum stances. The applicant stated that be was anxious to commu nicate to the magistrate the particulars of an outrage of a very mysterious •and aggravated character, to which one of his apprentices, who now accompanied him, had been subjected. He should leave the lad to make his own statement of the facts, after premising that he had been nearly five years in his service,. and had always conducted himself in the most exemplary manner, hav ing never absented himself from home for a single hour, nor been detected in an untruth during the whole of that period. The apprentice, a frank, intelligent-looking youth, about 16 years of age, was then called into the witness box, and entered into the following extraordinary narrative :—On Wednesday last I was passing through Whitechapel, on an errand for my master, at four o'clock in the afternoon, when a gentl eman w i t h a b us h y b eard and mustachios drove up to the door of one of the shops and asked me to mind his horse and chaise while he went in to make a purchase. I agreed to do so, and on coming back in a few minutes, the gentleman said that he had no silver about him, and that I had better step into the chaise, as he had to call at the corner of Ald.gate, where he would get change and give me a shilling for my trouble. I made no objection, as I had to pass that way, and got into the chaise with him ; but we had only gone a little way, when he told me he was a dealer in perfu mery, and asked me if I liked scents, at the same time pulling out a small bottle, which he held to my nose, and I instantly lost my senses. I must have continued several hours in that state, for it was quite dark when I came to, and found myself in the hands of two men who ' were dragging me out of the chaise in a solitary road in the country. On calling out for help, one of the men threatened to kill me if I made the least noise, and grasped 'me by the throat, but I bit him in the hand and kicked awl struggled till I got free from him, and started off as fast as I could run. I heard the men running after me for some distance, but managed to keep ahead of them .till I got to a dry ditch, in which I. concealed myself, and remained there till daylight. I then crept back into the road, finding that the men were gor.e, but - felt so faint and exhausted that I got into a field where I slept for several hours. On waking up I was told by some men who were working in the field that it was More than six miles on the other side of Highgate ; but they directed me the way home, on reaching which I informed my master of everything that had taken place. In answer to a question from the magistrate, it was intimated by the master that the lad was evidently in state of extreme prostration and excitement on his return home about four o'clock on Thursday afternoon, when he min u t e ly d escr ib e d t h e particulars of the violence which had been practised towards him in strict accord ance with his present statement. Mr. D'Eyncourt—lt is certainly a most extraordinary story, and I am at a loss to conceive any adequate motive for the perpetration of such an outrage. The master—l can only say from my intimate know ledge of his character, that I believe the boy to be utterly incapable of deception, and your worship may Probably remember a similar case which occurred a •few Years ago, when a lad was kidnapped for a suppos-d infamous purpose, under precisely similar circumstances, and was afterwards found murdered in a ditch in the neighbourhood of Acton. Mr. D'Ey►,court said that he perfectly recollected the incident referred to, and he believed that the persons who had been guilty of the atrocity had never been brought to justice. He should advise Mr. Weakley im mediately to place the matter in the hands of the police, who would adopt the necessary means for the disco%mry and apprehension of the parties who had committed the alleged outrage. DAY. CASTLETOWN (ISLE OF MAN) STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY, From the Mona's Herald, July 21,c1. In pursuance of a ptiblie notice published in the insular newspapers. there was a Very numerous general special meeting of the shareholders in the Castletown Steam Navigation Company, held in that town ou Wednesday evening last. There were :hundr• ds assembled on the Occasion. The notica and other documents published in the papers originated _ with the Liverpool shareholders ; and they represented the affairs of the compaj►y as in a ruinous condition and thus excited the attention of those interested in the steamer to a high degree, and they all to a man turned 'out to attend the meeting. The meeting was organised by calling Mr. Scott Wallace (a large shareholder); of Leamington, to the chair. The chairman at first rather declined the honour, but at length consented. He said that the Liverpool shareholders wished to obtain an exposition of the affairs of the company. They had laid out their money and were looking for some equivalent, and he hoped the meeting would try to adopt such mea sures as would return some dividends: They had met to co-operate n ith each other to devise the hest" plan for conducting the concern; and he hoped a lucid statement of the affairs would be laid before the meeting. He would call on Mr. Diddams, of Liverpool, more fully to state the object of the meeting: Mr. Diddams said that they cane from . England with no hostile spirit, but as brother shareholders, to investi. gate the affairs of the company and know how they were. From the reports, he feared the boat was going backwards instead of forward. He conversed with Mr. Shiminin, and then the first meeting was called in Liverpool, but they could obtain no information of the state of the com pany. He applied to Mr. Eewley, the agent at Castle town, and learned that there was a large d the company, but he did not get the particu had a subsequent meeting, and he wrote again to Mr Itewley to get. a copy of the Deed of Association; but he got nothing but a series of resolutions which had been passed by the company in Castletewn. They then sent 01107 a deputation, and they saw Mr. Wilby, one of the directors, but they could get to see nothing but a freight book, from whiCh no information was conveyed as to the present state of the company, as the balances were not brought up since December last. The directors said they were doing better than - ;;;:anerly, but if_ they wen against half what they had_ been losing before, they were ctl. better, hut still not doing well. There was now a noiy interruption, and Mr. Diddams sat down. The Chairman said he thought it would be well for the directors to give a taterneilt of the affairs; and then they might consider what was proper to be done. l _ Kir. Burman said that the resolutions and notice tail ing the meeting should be read before anything else was done. The Chairman now read the circular and the resolu tions. Mr. Jones said that by these documents it appeared that the Liverpool people knew more about the affairs of the company than was known in Castletown ; and yet they carne asking for information. The Chairman now moved a resolution, that some one of the directors lay before the meeting the present fiscal condition dt the company. Mr. Burman replied, that last autumn all the accounts were laid before a general meeting of the shareholders, but they then thought it too expenSiVe to print the same and send them out as circulars. Mr, Jeffcott said that the meeting was called for one specific purpose s vie., to determine whether the boat was at once to be sold and the company wound up, or other wise. If instead of this the directors had been required to show the balance, no doubt they would do so. The Chairman thought that as tradesmen they ought to see the accounts. He regretted the Liverpool resolutions ever appeared in print—it would not tend to inspire con fidence in the company. Yet every shareholder had a perfect right to know the state of the concern, and he was entitled to such information. He thought the first resolu tion should be to determine whether the boat be sold or not, as the meeting was called for that purpose. Mr. Diddams said that the Liverpool shareholders were in the meeting's hands, as they were in a lean minority, and if the boat was not to be sold, then they must submit twa majority. He agreed that the first motion was to sell the boat. Mr. G trdiner said that a deputation of three came over td the island recently, to see the state of affairs. They saw but one book only, and there was no posting of the accounts since the end of last year. He now moved that the boat be sold immediately. Mr. Diddams seconded the motion. Mr. M‘Meiken moved as an amendment the following, That the meeting is of en opinion that the Ellan Vannin has not had a fair and so,isfactory trial, inasmuch as the late Liverpoc 1 twent of the company, being engige,l in other and more lucrative employment, did n not ghte that undivided attention, 83 much required in c rying out the interests of a new company Mr. John Shimmin, of Liverpool, thought that such a sweeping denunciation should not go unanswered. He could show that he did his duty but could it be expected that he would hire office, clerks, expend his time, and pay taxes, &c., for .t'loo a year? But he defied any one to show that he had neglected his duty. as an agent; Mr_ Taggart and two other tradesmen of Castletown came forward and said, that they had caliel for many timeB and on divers occasions at the agent's office in Liverpool, and never found Mr. Shimrnin or his partner in; and there was no one but a small boy to keep the office, who knew nothing of the business inquired after, and could render no aid. Mr. Shimmin replied at length, alleging that the Eng lish shares were taken up at his solicitation, and he felt in honour bdund to see his friends saved harmless. That he had tried to get information of the state of affairs, and could get none. That he was not actuated by any vin dictive spirit, as the principal meetings of the shareholders in Liverpool were held before ha left the agency. That the company never lost five shillings by any neglect or omission of his ; and that he felt that he did not deserve such treatment from the people of Castletown. Mr. M'Meiken made a kindly reply, and said that it could not be expected that for elOO Mr. Shimmin could bestow that attention on the affairs of the company, such as a rising company required. The amendment was now put, and carried triumphantly, there being but three hands raised against it, while hundreds were raised for it. The main motion was then put to sell the steadier, and negatived—hundreds against two. Mr. Burman laid a statement before the meeting, taken from the books of the company, showing that for the five months last past, the boat had far exceeded in its profits the receipts of the corresponding months of last year. - The next resolution was moved by Mr. Jeffcott and seconded by Mr. F. L. Gelling, and was as follows: That the affairs of the Company have anumed a new and more favourable aspect, and that the opinion of this meeting is, that the resolutions passed at the general meeting of the company held in December last, be carried out—namely, that the vessel be con tinued on the station until Octob r next. This was carried unanimously and with rapturous cheers. The 3rd resolution was moved and seconded by the ,me gentlemen, and was as follows : That in the opinion of this meeting the statement contained in the notice or advertisement, without any name attached thereto, which appeared during ►he last week in certain of ►he insular papers with reference to the state of the affairs of the Castle town Isle of Alan steam Navigation Company, is untrue and not founded in fact; but it is the opinion of this meeting and the p.ms pects of the company axe much m)re favourtOle than tney have hitherto been. This being put by the chair, was carried rapturously and unanimously. Messrs. Jeffcat and Gelling in advocating these resolu tiOns, made most spirited speeches. They reprehended the conduct of the late Liverpool agent in the severest manner, declared that documents more invidious, unwise, intem perate, and libellous never appeared in print, than those published by the local journals as emanating from the Liverpool shareholde rs . Th e y expresse d their astonishment in the strongest terns, that the conduct ors o f t h e M anx journals should ever have admitted such libels upon the . business of a company into their columns; and they de clared that if commercial credit was thud to be destroyed by the public press of the country, it was high time for business men to redress themselves: There was a decided animosity shown towards the late Liverpool agent, and considerable disorder occurred in consequence ; but we are happy to say, that the meeting passed off without riot or outrage. The behaviour of the English shareholders was most de- corpus and gentlemanly ; and the chairman - acquitted him self admirably. A vote of thanks to the chairman for his able and impartial conduct in the chair having passed unanimously, replied :—That he was much gratified with the results of the meeting. He was quite aware of the hard struggle a new company- had to make to establish in a time and country of such rivalry; but he thought it would be very unwise and improper to take this boat off the station at the present time. She app e a re d t o b e gra dually overcoming her first difficulti9s, and establishing a business. He had no doubt the directors were doing all in their power to place the Ellen Vanni n i n a satisfactory . position. What had been laid before the meeting had Insptred his hopes for ultimate success, and the good prospects were before the company. Lord Woodehouse was received yesterday Oun R ussrAN Exvov.—A letter f rom S t. Petersburg, of says,: s: ror Alexander, i n t h e Palace of Tsarskoe tbhyetshteh, E Seloe, at a private audience. Before returning to St. Petersburg, his lordship was driven in one of the state through the mag n ifi cent grounds which surround —The Han over i an Ministry has experienced carriages the palace." AN e y H R a great check in the Second Chamber, which has rejected the modifications of the constitution of 1849, proposed by government. THE BA LLOT. —Within the last few days a successful canvass of th e lib era l e l ectors of the City has been made in aid of t h e f unds of the Ballot Society. Tha list is headed by Baron Rothschild. M.P., with X5O, and loed by Mess rs . Kirkman, Hodson, Raikes Currie , m t p l. w Ingrain Travers, W. J. H a ll, T. A. Mitchell, M.P., Frederick Pattison, &c., &c., for handsome sums. Mr, Henry Berk e ley, M.P., has given notice that if his opposition to the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act is unsuccessful he will move ballot clauses in committee. POLICE V COURT.- YESTERDAY (BEFORE MR. ALDERMAN TURNER.) A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE.—A young lady,.named Mary Copeland, who described herself as a milliner and dressmaker, residing in the Park, charg ed two very w e ll dressed young women, na me d J ane Child and Alice Traynor under the following c i rcums t ances . M r. Block defended the prisoner Child. The complainant, who from appearance was respectable, said she was at the - theatre along with another lady, and when leaving, they were stopped in the street by the prisoners, who asked for a treat of drink. They refused, and then pi , soners attacked leer friend, and attempted to take a ring off her Eager. The complainant went to her assistance, when one of the prisoners. put her hand into her pocket and took out her purse, which contained 13s 4d. She caught hold of the prisoner, and called for assistance, when both prisoners seized on her, but she held them, and then the prisoner who had the purse dropped it on the ground, The police then came up, and arrested the prisoners. Mr. Bina cross-examined the complainant, and, as he said, he was instructed to do -so in reference to the position of Miss Copeland and her friend, but there was nothing elicited to throw any die. credit on the character of Miss Copeland (Jr her friend s although Mr. Block said it was Fiegular to see young► ladies at the theatre without any protection, and to find them in conversation in the streets at eleven o'clock at 'fight, with strange females, speaking about drink. He made an able and ingenious defence for his client, but the case was dearly established by the evidence; and both prisoners were fully committed for trial at the sessions. THAT BLESSED SPRING CART ! —Richard litignalii & carter, was charged for having stolen a siring care belonging to Mr. Bromley, under the following eirenin stances :—lt appeared that a young woman !lauded Mary Lennon, who resides in Summer -seat, rented a cart (.it 6s a week) from Mr. Bromley, and that on Friday morning last she wanted to use it, but on looking for it she found it had taken wheels to itself and rolled off, no one knew whith2r. The police failed to discover where the vehicle had gone to, but on Mon day evening, the complainant, on passing up London road, saw the prisoner driving the " identical blessed spring cart" down tile road, and it seemed that be had taken it to Wigan under a quantity of fish. She then gave him into custody on a charge of felony. Mr. cluck, for the d .fence, showed that the son of the owner of the cart had hired it to the prisoner for 2s for the run to Wigan, and this being the case, he was dis.. charged. Illiam Games, the black man who TR B Wa li s li' re l L e nTl s. o — n a ehi:"..e of having stolen L 6 from a " brother black," was conalitte‘. l for trial, as the case was fully proved. THE ADVENTURES OF TIFCi W etcHvg ..-FAXTRAORDI NARY CASE.—Louisa D ea k er was cha rge d w ith having stolen a gold watch, th e p ro p er ty o f M r . A n d rew R o b er t, son, described as a re s id en t o f 33, M ount - p l easant ; an d i . an elegantly dressed young man, named Alfred Pota, *as/ charged with having the watch in his possession. The case was one of an extraordinary description, and a short narrative will more fully explain it than to go through the evidence. It appeared that Mr. Robertson had been enjoying himself, and had imbibed too much " ardent spirits," or something else that caused him to repudiate the mathematical rule, namely, that the shortest distance between two given points is a straight line. In Litre-street he met the female prisoner, and after some conversation, he agreed to avail himself of Wet. offer to see him safe home. Instead, however, of seeing him up Mount-pleasant, sbe brought him in another direction, and on entering a house, he put his hand in his pocket and missed his a a.ch, and then he gave her into custody on a charge of steeling it. It would appear, that police officer 764 took the female to the station house, where she was searched, but nothing appertaining to a watch was discovered on her person. Whilst the operation of inspection was going' on in reference to Miss Deaker, the male prisoner was brought in on another charge, and on searchin7 him, Mr. Robertson's watch, two g o ld r i ngs , some flash notes and other things were found with him, This was a curious discovery, and caused some surprise, but it was ex plained as follows : —James Rummer said, he was art Orangeman ' re and had b een ou t wa lki ng w i th the brethren during the day; about twenty minutes past two ho went to a lodge in Lime -street to meet some friends ; none but the brothers who could give the sign were admitted ; there was a crowd pushing into the lodge, and amongst the persons who pushed in was the male prisoner. He pushed up against witness, but would not be let in, and then witness felt something at his watch, and on looking, be saw the prisoner trying to get away the article, which he had got out of the pocket, and was pulling oil by the guard, when the witness seized, and gave him into custody. Office 195 said, when he searched the prisoner at the station, he found Mr. Robert son's watch and two gold rings on him, together with the flash notes and other things. Detective officer Povey Said, the prisoner was quite a new importation „into town. The prisoner said he bought the watch from a man in Lime street, for £6 10s, but he could. not tell who, or. what the, man was. The female prisoner said she was quite innocent of the charge, and cross-examined Mr. Robertson. as to whether he had flat been, previous to her meeting him, in a cab with two females ? and he said he was very drunk, but he remembered being in a cab with one female. The magistrates said there was no case against the woman, and therefore discharged her. The man was committed for two months. endangered cart, was a p t p h r e e lltievnedse:,lf several FURIOUS DRIVI NG . —R o b ert Jackson, the driver of ti e v f n o g r a h a n v a i r n s g e of parties the bpyodl police at a furious rate along Whitechapel. The policeman stated that lie saw th 3 defendant going at a furious rate, and called upon him "to ease his pace ;" but instead of so doing, he beat the horse, and made him go faster. the result of which was that he got locked between a ahaudry and a lorry in Whitechapel. There he was, after a desperate scuffle, apprehended. Mr. Mansfield, after admonishing the defendant for driving furiously in a crowded street, ordered him to pay los and the costs. BatrrAL Asstivizr.—John Smith, a fellow dressed in the garb of a sailor, was charged with assaulting a young woman, n a m e d A nn F orester, w i t h out t h e s li g ht es t provocation. The young woman, who appeared respect able, stated that about six o'clock on the previous even ing she was going along Kent-street to meet a private friend, when she saw the defendant, who asked her to go and have a glass of ale, which she refused to do. He then told her he would spend five shillings with her, when she told him she did not want either him or his ale, and to go about his business, upon whichhe turned upon her and kicked her very severely several times in the back, from the injuries of which she was then suffering. Mr. Mansfield said that this was one of the brutal and ruffianly assaults that he always punished most severely. In this case he should fine the ruffian £lO and costs, and in default of payment, three months' imprisonment. THE RESPIICTABLE ENGLISH AND THE STUPID Four men, who gave their names as Graham, Kelly, Williams, and Robeits, were charged with creating a disturbance on the previous night in the Scotland road. From the evidence of the police, it appeared that there was a great row, but how it arose he could not tell. The defendants Williams and Roberts, were then called upon to state what they traced of the matter, and their statement was, that on the previous evening they were passing along Scotland-road, and hav ing orange coloured handkerchiefs on their necks, the other two defendants with many others, attacked them, and they had all that they could do to keep them off— each of them picking at the handkerchiefs like flies. Mr. Mansfield said lie would not permit respectable English men to be insulted as they passed through the streets by stupid Irishmen and their faction fights —he should fine Graham and Kelly 40s each and costs ; the other two were to be discharged . ASSAULT.—Hugh N.l'Guideo was committed for three months' imprisonment, for assaulting the landlord of the Empire Vaults, Great Howard-Street, without any provocation. .. - PICKING POCKETS —A little girl, who has been remanded on several previous occasions, for picking the pocketbr of a female in a shop on t h e Scotland -road, was again ought up—when Mr. Mansfield ordered her to be imprisoned for 18 days, and then to be sent for fire years to Clifton Reformatory. THE CALEDONIAN BALL.—The result of the grand Caledonian ball, of. the 20th ult., at Willis's Rooms, under the patronage of the Queen, has produced a net sum of £720 3s 6d, in aid of the admirable charities towards which it is annually held. .P.;ABLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION.—On Friday evening a crowded meeting took place at Exeter-hall, Strand, for the purpose of prom o ti ng a restr i ct i on i n t h e hNirs of labour of the milliners and dress makers. Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., presided ; an d i n open i ng the proceedings, sa id that which none o f i ts promoters had d the associati on was f orme d twelve or fourteen ye ars ago, and ithadaraccomplished the great emp l oyers of labour who had adopted its suggestions had not only succeeded in securing the good fee ling . of th ose who depended on them for their livelihood, of Put had a b so l utely been pecuniary gainers. The Earl Shaftesb ury , h av i ng entered into a variety of deta ils, showing the evils under which the objects of their solieitude were suffering, moved a resolution setting forth that the meeting found with sorrow that notwithstand ing the appeals made to the customers and principals of houses, the young persons employed as miliners and dress makers were still disgracefully oppressed. The Bishop of Oxford seconded the resolution, which was heartily adopted. Other resolutions, pledging the meeting to use every exer— tion to suppress the late hour system, and calling upon the lady customers of the dressmaking establishments to allow reasonable time for the completion of their order, and to support those firms which acted with becoming humanity to those in their employment, were spoken to by Mr. S. C. Hall, Mr. R. D. Grainger, the Rev. Mr. Landells, and Mr. Tarlton, and were carried by acclamation,,