The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-05 00:00:00

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.

A paper was read by Mr. Foster Palmer, F.R.C.S.,
nefore this society upon the drama of "Richard III."
as exhibiting the adolescence of Shakspeare's genius:
Sir Patrick Colquhoun, Q.C., president, in the chair.
The reader commenced with a short summary of the
metrical tests and other literary evidence. These
point to "Richard III." as being one of the earliest '
of Shakspeare's complete plays. The psychological
aspect of the play leads to the same conclusion, for
it presents all the hyperbolical intensity characteristic,
of a youthful writer, besides showing signs of
mental growth of an increasing independence
of thought and a throwing off of earlier surround-
ing influences. The play is progressive in cha-
racter, and shows, more than any other, the tran-
sition from the earlier to the later methods of paint-
ing human nature. One extreme is seen in the crude
and contemptuous treatment of the female character,
the other in the subtle and truly Shaksperian delinea.
tion of Lord Stanley. Between these two the character
of Richard, highly coloured and outstanding, but de.
fictent in refinement of shading, takes a middle place,
The series forms a connecting link with the earlier and
imperfect I:lays on the one hand, and on the other
with that higher development which reaches its acme
in the character of Hamlet and the mental
struggles in Othello and Macbeth. On the conclusion
of the paper, the president remarked that a very able
and acute analysis of the leading intentions of Shak-
speare in this drama had been given by the reader,
and that he hoped some f,entleman present who
had made this subject his peculiar study
would examine the opinions advanced. Dr.
Knighton, one of the vice-presidents, argued that
the data set forth by the reader rather tended to
show that the play was a producticn of a writer in
his maturity than in his adolescence, and Mr. E.
Gilbert lighten, the secretary, in the course of some
lengthened observations, contended that Shakspeare's
intention was rather dramatic than psychological, that
he was limited in his treatment of the characters in
this play to the facts of history, and that his develop-
ment of the female characters in it was in strict
accordance therewith, and, besides, was in no way a
derogation to their mental or even moral qualities;
and lastly, that Richard was by no means the dramatic
"be all and end all" of the play, and had only been
made so by the desire of successive exponents of the
past "to possess the stage." The proceedings
terminated with a vote of thanks to the reader.

Communications have been received by the President
of the Wesleyan Conference from New South Wales by
telegram, confirming the previous details as to the
persecutions of many members of the Wesleyan Church
in Tonga. The whole question was specially considered
at a meeting of the Wesleyan Committee of Privileges
held. in London on Monday, at which many of the
principal ministers and laymen of the Wesleyan body,
includin4 Mr. H. H. Fow.er, M.P., Ur. H. J. Atkinson,
M.P., Ur. I. Hoyle, M.P., and others were present. The
President of the Conference (the Rev. Dr. Young) pre.
sided. The Committee decided to take all necessary
steps fdr bringing the case urgently and immediately
before the Imperial authorities.

THE FILIBUSTERING PROSECUTION.

The hearing of the case the Queen v. Sandoval and
others was continued in the Queen's Bench Division
on Friday, before Mr. Justice A. L. Smith and a
special jury. The prosecution was instituted against
Mr. Gabriel S. de Sandoval, Mr. George Baird, and
Sir William- G. M. Call, Bart., for alleged breaches
of the Foreign Enlistment Act, in purchasing, fitting,
and arming the paddle steamer Justitia, for the pur-
pose of taking part in war in Venezuela, a State with
which this country at the time was at peace. The
defendants pleaded not guilty. The Solicitor-
General, Mr. Poland, Mr. R. S. Wright, and Mr.
Danckwerts appeared for the prosecution; Mr.
Finley, Q.C., Mr. Mead, and Mr. A. E. Nelson for

Sir William ball, Mr. St'aveley Hill, Q.C., and Mr.
A. T. Lawrance for Mr. Baird; and Mr. Grain, Mr,
A. Gill, and Mr. L. Kershaw for Mr. Sandoval.
Some further evidence was given as to the negotia•
tions in London in 1885 for the purchase of the
ve_ Bel.

Mr. John Ridley, clerk to the firm of Bailey and
Ridley, ship brokers, London-street, examined by Mr.
Poland, said that about the second week in March,
1885, Sir W. Call came to the office of the firm about
the purchase of the Justitia. He went down with
Sir William to the Victoria Docks to see the Justitia
and another vessel. Sir William was accompanied to
the docks by Mr. Baird, who was introduced as being
conversant with shipping and engineering matters—
in fee', an engineer. Sir William dil not tell him
what the vessel was for, but indicated that she was
for across the Atlantic. The contract for the purchase
of the Justitia was signed and all matters relating
to it completed by May 28, 1885. Sir Wm. Call
brought to the office of the firm William Phillips,
who was spoken of as his valet, and in whose name
it was arranged that the legal title of the vessel
should stand.
Cross-examined by the counsel for the defence,
w.tness said £5OOO was originally aeced for the ship,
and .£4OOO ras taken. It was a ship fitted for ordi-
nary cargo. He never saw Sir William Call at all in
connection with the transaction.
Mr. John D. Treherne, member of the firm of Tre-
herne and Sons, ship outfitters, in Leadenhall-street,
City, said that about the middle of May, 1833,
Captain Robertson called at his office. He had known
him for years as a master in the merchant service.
He heard that Captain Robertson had been appointed
captain of the Justitia, and he afterwards came to
the office with Sir William Call, who was introduced
as the purchaser of the ship. It was arranged that
600 tons of coal should be put on board. The vesse
was insured for £BOOO, and for the purpose of insur-
ance particulars were given as to where the ship was
going, the nature of the cargo, &c. He was informed
the ship was going from London to Antwerp, and
thence to St. Thomas, West Indies, and that some of
the cargo would consist of machinery for gold mines.
The ebarges of the firm for fittings, &c., amounted
to £1778. The cabins were fitted up for six pas-
sengers.
Cross-examined: The vessel was Mei oat in the
ordinary way for a voyage across tke Atlantic.
Mr. James Christie M'Kewnie, member of a firm of
engineers, merchants, and dealers in arms in Mark.
lane, City, said that on April 9, 1885, Colonel
Sandoval, one of the defendants, called at his office and
introduced himself as Colonel Sandoval, inquiring if
he had some small arms for sale. He spoke of
Werndle, Winchester, and Remington rifles and cheap
percussion muzzle loaders. He gave his address as
of Portland-street. lie was shown two photographs
of two Krupp guns which the witness had warehoused
at Liverpool. He afterwards went to Liverpool to in-
spect the guns. One weighed newt. and the other
4cwt. They were breech-loading. He did not say
what the guns were for. He arranged for the pur-
chase of these guns, and for their being fitted with
carriages. He said he was inspecting the guns for
the firm of Rogers Brothers, in Basingball-street,
City. They were fitted with carriages at Silvertown.
The carriages with which they were fitted were not
suitable for firing with shot and shell. Colonel
Sandoval also purchased 50 rounds of iron shot, 50
rounds of empty shell, and 20,000 rounds of ball-
cartridges for Winchester rifles. The account of the
firm for the goods supplied to the colonel amounted to
.£571. The witness did not know anything of the
ship leaving London. When he spoke te Colonel
Sandoval about the insufficiency of the carriages for
firing shot and shell, the colonGi ;aid they were good
enough, as the guns were simply for moral effect.
Cross-examined: Witness's firm were large dealers

in arms for supply at home and abroad. He was not
- aware that any of the arms supplied were for use
against a Power with which we were at peace. They
were to a great extent articles of legitimate com-
merce. They had always been bought and sold for
the purpose of trade and barter. Twenty thousand
rounds of small arms ammunition was not a large
order for sporting purposes. Such orders were very
u3ual for parties going out for big sport in India. As
to the _Krupp guns, witness was aware that Lord
Brassei's yacht Sunbeam carried an Armstrong, or,
Armstrongs, probably about the same calibre as these
Krupps. It was a frequent thing to carry such guns
on yachts, both for signalling and for pro'ection
against pirates. No doubt the firing of one of these
guns at an approaching pirate would have a moral
effect. (Laughter.)
Mr. Robert Robertson, master mariner, of London,
said he was engaged by Sir William Call as master of
the Jlisticia, but was not told what the ship was for.
Of the 23 men on board, about seven were English,
the officers, engineers, and boatswain, all the hands
being Scandinavians. The ship was fitted out as a
common coasting steamer. Had orders from Sir
William to go to Antwerp, and then to the West
Indies. At Antwerp he took in cases but he did not
know the contents. One broke, and he saw rifles and
ha, onets. It was not until he was at sea that he knew
the cases contained Krupp guns, gun-carriages, and
shot and shell. When at sea, Colonel Scandoval told
him to go to the Bermudas. The ship's articles were
for Trinidad.
At this stage of the proceedings the trial was ad-
j-i2rned.

On Saturday further evidence wa..4 given as to the
na.ure of the ship's cargo and the arrangements on
board. The shin's carpenter, a Swede, spoke to re-
pairing two broken cases, which were taken on board
at Antwerp amongst others, and each of which con-
tained 25 rifles, with as many bayonets. On the way
out from Antwerp to the %Vest Indies he made some
alterations on the vessel by the instructions of Colonel
Sandoval, and the captain said she was going to be
made a man-of-war. The boats were swung outside,
leaving the decks clear. Evidence was further given
as to the arrest of the defendants. Colonel Sandoval,.
when arrested, said he was not afraid, that he had
nothing to do with the fitting out of the ship,
that he was never on board till she was in a
foreign country, and that he was not a British
subject. Mr. Baird said he had no idea what
the ship was for,' and Sir W. Call said nothing.
At the close of the case for the prosecution, Mr.
Staveley Hill, Q.C., submitted that there was no case
to go to the jury against Mr. Baird. The Judge
agreed that there was not a rag of evidence against
Yr. Baird. aryl the jury accordingly found him not
guilty. Mr. Finlay, Q.O , maintained that there was
no evidence against Sir W. Call, there being no proof
of any expedition within the meaning of the Act
having been fitted out within her Majesty's dominions.
Mr. Grain contended that there was no evidence
against Colonel Sandoval as to his having been en-
gaged in fitting out an expedition within the meaning
of the A2t. The Solicitor-General argued that there
was evidence to go to the jury both against Colonel
Sandoval and against Sir W. Call, and the judge said
he would not prevent the case from going to the jury
with respect to those two defendants. No evidence
was called for the defence. The Solicitor-General
addressed the jury on the case for the prosecution as
against Sir W. Call and Colonel Sandoval, and the
nroceedings were again adjourned.

On Monday, Mr. Grain submitted that there was no
evidence whatever against his client as having taken
any part in the fitting out of a vessel within her
MajeAy's dominions forming part of a naval or military
expedition to proceed against a friendly State, or in
any proceeding constituting an offence against the
statute.

Mr. Finlay, Q.C., for Sir W. M. Call, put forward a
similar cor.tention on behalf of his client, and said
that Sir W. Call could have no possible motive for
taking part in the preparing of any such expedition;
which, on the contrary, it had been shown would
have been highly detrimental to his own interests in
Venezuela.

In summing up the case to the jury, Mr. Justice
Smith directed them that it was not necessary that
an expedition should be fully equipped in this country
to constitute an offence against the Act. The offence
must be committed in this country, within her
Majesty's dominions, and anything wlaich took place
at Antwerp or in the East Indies did not constitute
an offence unless it had been originated in this
country. But if the defendants in this country pro-
cured or purchased this ship, guns, and ammunition
for the express ulterior purpose on their part of:form-
ing a naval expedition against the dominions of a
friendly State, then they were guilty of an offence
against the statute.
The jury retired to deliberate, and after being
absent for over two hours, they found a verdict of
guilty against Colonel Sandoval, but could not agree
in the case of Sir W. M.

The jury were discharged-. and his lordshii, gsve
judgment in accorda.ica cr:th this finding.
Sentence was deferred, pending an appeal upon
questions of law.

A claim made by Mr. Howard, landlord of the Eight
Bells, Fulham, against the Metropolitan Board of
Works for damages sustained by the diversion of
custom from his house was before the Deputy Sheriff
of Middlesex and a jury. Mr. Howard contends that
since the construction of the new Fulham Bridge and
the diversion of the traffic from the old thoroughfare,
his business had been seriously injured. The jury
Nssessed the damages at £10:31.
A circular has been issued by the directors of the
London Financial Association announcing that they
have decidtd not to pn,sue their intention of opening
and working the Alexandra Palace in the coming
season, notice having been served by one of the share-
h iders that he will hold them personally responsible
should any loss be sustained thert by.
Miss Allcard's solicitors have served notice of appeal
on Miss Skinner, the Mother Superior of the Sisters of
the Poor, from the decision ot Mr. Justice Keke%ich
ref using to direct the return of several thoniand pounds
Oven by Miss Allcard to the Courant daring her real.
deuce there as a sister.