The Press.
London, England, 1855-04-14 00:00:00

Actikuts an Offnuts.

THE fine new screw-steamship North Carolina
from Philadelphia for Liverpool, was totally lost'
on Sunday morning, by a collision in the Channel.
The unfortunate steamer was of 1,300 tons burden
and had been recently completed at Philadelphia.
She left that port for Liverpool under the command
of Captain Washington Symmes on the 21st ult., and
had progressed very favorably until her arrival in
the Channel, when on Sunday morning, at half past
one o'clock, she VMS run into by the ship Robert, which
left Liverpool for New Orleans on the sth inst., about
thirty miles west of Tuskar light. The ship struck
her on the port side forward of the torerigging,
causing her to fill immediately, and she sank in about
ten minutes. The captain and twenty-one of the crew
were taken on board the Robert, and brought back to
Liverpool. The remainder, eleven men, were seen
in the boats alongside another ship at daylight.
Beyond the loss of her cutwater, the Robert sustained
little or no damage.
THE steamer Lucifer, which left Liverpool in
February for the Crimea, was obliged to put into the
Tagus for repairs. All her wooden huts bad been
burnt for fuel, her consumption of coal being double
the quantity estimated when she left Liverpool.
A DARING ATTEMPT was made at Sleaford on Mon-
flay night last to rob the house of Mr. Moore, the
clerk of the peace. An entrance into the cellar had
been effected by wrenching up an iron grating in the
garden, and a man bad thence passed along an
underground passage to the foot of the staircase,
where he was busily engaged cutting his way through
the panel of the door. Mr. Moore, however, hap-
pened to dicover the operations, and summoning hia
domestics, by a little careful manoeuvring, replaced
the grating, and the fellow was effectually caught in
a trap, implements and all. He turned out to be a
regular hand, and gave the name of George Clarke
but is believed to be John O'Brien, well known in
London and Nottingham, and lately returned from
Gibraltar on a ticket of leave.

THE RAILWAY FROM Moscow (says the Patrie)
has recently conveyed t SI. Petersburg considerable
masses of gold and silver from the mines of the Ural
Mountains, which this year, in consequence of the
development given to the works, have been more
productive than in former years. The manufacturers
of arms are working night and day, and a number of
German workmen, seduced by very advantageous
offers, have established themselves in the interior of
Russia. For the second time the clergy of St. Ser-
gins, near Moscow, who pass for being the richest
in Russia, have made a patriotic gift to the Emperor,
amounting, it is said, to nearly one million of francs.
A PARLIAMENTARY PAPER has just been issued, con-
taining an estimate of the sums required to be voted
for the year ending the 31st March, 1858, for public
education in Great Britain. The estimate to be
moved on the reassembling of the House of Commons
i
for the current year is 381,9211., of which 70,000/. s
required for building, &c., elementary and normal
schools ; 4,0001. for books in elementary schools :
145,000/. for pupil teachers and gratuities to their
instructors. Sums are required for training-schools.
In London the salaries of the establishment amount
to 9,431/. The secretary has 1,0001., and an advising
counsel 300/. The cost of inspection is no less than
31,9401. in the year. There are 41 inspectors, from
from 2001. to 800/. a year.
A COURT OF DIRECTORS was held at the East
India-house on Thursday, when Mr. Elliot Macnagh-
ten was chosen chairman, and Colonel Sykes deputy.
thlinlain for the year Windom

APRIL 14, 1855.

dorrtspoubturt.

GENERAL VIVIAN'S APPOINTMENTS.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

Sir,—l see from your last issue that the Chief
Commissioner of the Insolvent Court assumes that
one of the officers alluded to by me in my letter of
March 15 is the one regarding whose case he has pub-
lished a pamphlet, to be had at Messrs. Upham and
Beets, of Bond-street. Having referred to the
pamphlet in question, I find that the following are
the charges, finding, and sentence in the case of that
officer, and the public may judge from them how far,
supposing him to be really the person alluded to by
me, he was fit to be selected for a high command in
the Turkish contingent under General Vivian :
CHABOE.—For conduct unbecoming the character of an
officer and a gentleman in the following instances :-
Ist. In having at Meerat, on or about the 11th of
January, 1848 (he having on a previous date been pri-
vately offered by a person then at the station a bribe to
lose a match at billiards at which he, Lieut. —, was to
play, and on which large bets were depending), falsely
stated to Cornet —, of her Majesty's 9th Lancers, whom
he informed of the circumstance, that the bribe offered
him was fifty gold mohurs.

2nd. In Laving at Meerat, on or about the 16th of
January, 1848, when asked by Cornet —, in presence of
other officers, whether he had not informed him, Cornet
—, that he had been offered a bribe of fifty gold mohurs
to lose the said match, or words to that effect, falsely re-
plied that he had not so informed him.
3rd. In having at the same time and place falsely and
evasively taken advantage of the words" fifty gold mohurs,"
used in the said question put to him by the said Cornet
—, to reply with a direct negative and without further
explanation ; thereby intentionally and disingenuously
leaving it to be understood by those who heard him that
no bribe had been offered him.
4th. In having at the same time and place falsely
affirmed and declared that he had not told the said Cornet
that he had been offered a bribe to lose the said
match, and that such a thing bad never happened, or
words to that effect; thereby intentionally and falsely
denying that any bribe at all had been offered him.
FINDING.—On the first instance of the charge that a
bribe was privately offered to the prisoner as alleged, and
that he told Cornet of it ; but that he, Lieut. —, of
the Regiment of Light Cavalry, is not guilty of false-
hood in the statement he then made to Comet —, and
I le court do acquit him thereof.
On the second, instance that he is " Guilty."
On the third instance "Guilty."..

On the fourth instance " Guilty."
And the court are further of opinion that the zonduct of
which they have found the prisoner guilty is unbecoming
the character of an officer and a gentleman, as alleged in
the preamble.
SENTENCE.—The court sentences the prisoner, Lieut.
—, of the Regiment of Light Cavalry, to be dis-
missed the service.

As regards the alleged restoration to the service,
it simply consists, a .4 appears by the pamphlet, in
placing the dismissed officer on the retired half-pay
list from the 16th November, 1853, in substitution of
the pension before allowed him ; and in granting
this concession the Directors have been careful to
use terms which leave the justice of the finding and
sentence of the court-martial entirely unimpugned.—
I have the honour to remain, sir, your most obedient
servant, Hosos.
April 10th, 1855.

THE CRIMEAN MEDALS.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

Sir,—Your last impression states—" The medals
for distinguished service in the field were forwarded
to the Crimea in the past week." I regret to contra-
dict so agreeable an announcers ent, but " authority "
has informed me that these out and and visible signs
of a country's gratitude are still 'ar Tom completion !
Perhaps THE PitESS would a. sis • in stimulating
certain inert departments, to tl e eld that many a
tall fellow might wear his decora ion before he dies.
Letters from the East assure me of the intense
anxiety felt by our noble soldiery on this subject.—
Your obedient servant, _ _

A CRIM-TATAR.

Army and Navy Club, April 9th.

TESTAMENTARY JURISDICTION BILL.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

Sir,—The Solicitor-General can hardly be aware
of the gross injustice of which I and about sixteen
other individuals will be the victims should his pro-
posed measure for abolishing ecclesiastical jurisdic-
tion in matters testamentary pass into law.
The judges, registrars, other officials, and proctors,
are to be compensated ; but what is to become of us
poor articled clerks, whose premiums are usually
1,0001. or thereabouts, and whose service is seven
[beery years? Are we to be suddenly turned
adrift?

Sir R. Bethell, for our comfort, tells us that when
"we emerge into the clear light of day and exercise
our profession on a more extended arena, that our
sagacity will multiply our advantages," forgetting, no
doubt, that one of the particular provisoes of his

THE PRESS.

popular measure will enable the public to transact
testamentary business without agency of proctor or
solicitor. Our profession, instead, therefore, of being
exercised on an extended arena, will, in fact, be re-
duced to a profitless nonentity : my already acquired
sagacity, also, is sufficiently prophetical to inform me
that the prospect of multiplication of advantages
arising from the proposed measure is too vague and
obscure to be depended on.
As for practising as solicitors, the education we
receive here is of so exclusive and totally distinct a
nature from their branch of the law as to prevent it
being of the slightest use to us, should it be at our
option to follow their profession.
I earnestly hope, therefore, that some influential
member of the House of Commons will propose the
insertion of a compensatory clause on our behalf in
committee; at least returning us our premiums, or
insuring us a moderate annuity in the place of that
income which we might fairly have expected to
realise.

I appeal, sir, to your sense of justice, and that of
your numerous readers, whether ours be not a hard
case? Our number is so small, and the promised ad-
vantages of the new bill to the public so great, that
I cannot believe that compensation will be denied us,
as it will be accorded to other persons affected by the
measure.—l remain, sir, yours, &c.,

AN ARTICLED CLERK.
Doctors Commons, April 12th, 1865.

CONSERVATIVE ORGANISATION.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

Sir,—l have read with great satisfaction your re-
cent articles upon the organisation of the " Conser-
vative party." I have always thought it a circum-
stance much to be deplored that the Conservatives as
a body have no bond of union and sympathy amongst
themselves ; by this I mean that individual crotchets
are allowed to interfere with that concentration of

power and unity of action which are so much to be
desired, and without which no party in the Senate
can rise to nor maintain themselves in power.
In a former number of your paper you wrote, " the
Conservative party to be powerful must be con-
structed upon a broad basis." Of course it must; and
with a due observance of the laws of our incomparable
constitution, the broader it is, I say, the better. Let
such be their policy and the Conservatives can have
no fear as to the result.

There has been, sir, too much indolence and apathy
amongst the Conservatives. To illustrate my meaning
I will give you two examples.
. .

When LOrd John Russell left the Aberdeen Go-
vernment amongst the breakers of popular indigna-
tion his conduct on that occasion was so distasteful
to his constituents of the city of London, that had
the Conservatives put forth any man of their party,
having the slightest claim to genius or intellect, they
could not have failed in forcing the rejection of the
late President of the Council. The other example I
refer to is more recent—l allude to the late Liverpool
election. I want to know sir, how it was the Conser-
vatives went so far from home to look for their
candidate : surely some Liverpool merchant, holding
Conservative principles, might easily have been found
ready and willing to stand for the representation of
the borough? I trust sir, that the defeat of the
Conservatives at Liverpool will in the end prove
beneficial to them. I hope it will have opened their
eyes to the real state of affairs, and show them that
while they are slumbering an ever watchful enemy
steps in and gains the victory, Let the Conservatives
present a bold and united front to their opponents,
let them give " a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull
altogether," and success is certain.
My firm belief that the safety, honour, and welfare
of this country depend upon the firmness and the
vigilance of the Conservative party must be my
apology for writing you this letter.—l have the
honour to remain, sir, your obedient sevant,
PS.—I inclose you my card. .I.I'I7ENIB.
London, April 12, 11.455.

INFORMATION has been circulated by the Govern-
ment authorities respecting Sergeant Charles Ald
ridge, who on the 21st of February deserted from the
army in the Crimea, and went over to the Russians.
He was, at the time, on picket, in the middle ravine,
and went away with his greatcoat over his regi-
mental uniform, taking with him also his bayonet,
pouch, belts, and ammunition. He is a native of St.
Margaret's, Middlesex, and had been a porter.
This is the first statement of the kind published by
the authorities.

SOME ANXIETY is beginning to be manifested by
parties interested in the settlement of the affairs of
Mr. Oliver, the extensive shipowner of Liverpool, who
failed last year. A meeting of a number of his cre-
ditors has been held this week at Liverpool, at which
a general wish was expressed that be should come
forward and make some definite offer, by which the
trustees might be relieved from the labour of wind-
ing up the estate, and the creditors mightobtain what
the estate would pay with as little delay as
possible.