The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-09 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

THE WINDSOR COURTS-MARTIAL.

THE decisions resulting from the three successive
courts-martial lately held at Windsor, and the sen-
tences pronounced upon Lieutenants Perry, Greer,
and Waldy, were officially promulgated on Monday
last. In the case of the' tirst-mentioned officer the
sentence was read to him by Colonel Garrett. The
charges were as follow:

Ist Charge.—For having in a certain letter, dated Wind-
sor Barracks, July 24th, 1854, and addressed to Colonel the
Hon. Arthur Upton, president of the court-martial then
and there assembled for the trial of Lieutenant Thomas
Fergns Greer, which letter bore the signature of the pri•
Boner, and was then and there delivered to the said Colonel
Upton, made the following slanderoue statement respecting
hie commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Garrett, viz.,
•` that after reperted acts of violence against myself (mean-
ing the prisoner), by the officers of the 4tith, while the
regiment was in Dublin, in my bedroom, 1 reported the
circumstance to Colonel Garrett, who reproached me, and
called me a fool for my pains ;" he (the said prisoner) then
well knowing that so ranch of the said statement as related
to Lieutenant-Colonel Garrett, ♦iz., the words " who re-
proached me, and called me a fool for my pains," was false.
—Acquitted.

2nd. For having, in the said letter, made the following
further statement :—" I then patiently submitted to a series
of indignities, when I complained to Major Maxwell, who
represented the facts to Colonel Garrett ; upon which he
gave the offenders a reprimand. So weak was the effect
of the reprimand or caution given by Colonel Garrett, that,
though the acts of aggression were discontinued, I was
persecuted in other ways, until I threatened to appeal to
the general of the district, and sent a letter to that effect
to Colonel Garrett. On it being known that I was deter-
mined upon sach a course, I was earnestly entreated by
several of my brother officers to forbear making any com-
plaint. I did forbear, and from that time I was relieved
from any repetition of the annoyances and indignities under
which I had formerly laboured;" he (the prisoner) then
well knowing that so much of the said statement with
reference to Colonel Garrett was false, and that he (the
prisoner) had never made any threat to Colonel Garrett,
either by word of month or in writing, that be would
appeal to the general of the district.—Guilty.
3rd. For having, on the 21st of July, 1854, at Windsor,
when examined as a witness before the court-martial which
was then and there being held for the trial of Lieutenant
Thomas Fergus Greer, in reply to the following question :
—" Will you swear positively that Captain Nicholas did
not reprimand officers against whom you had made a com-
plaint to the commanding officer?" made the following
answer: —" I have taken an oath already. Captain
Nicholas never, to my knowledge, censured anybody, he
himself (meaning Captain Nicholas) having ill-treated
others in joining ;" he (the prisoner) then well knowing
that so much of the said answer as is comprised in the
following words, " he himself having ill-treated others in
joining," was false.—Guilty.

4th. For having, on the day and year aforesaid, and at
the place aforesaid, in a certain letter addressed and de-
livered by him (the prisoner', to the Deputy Judge•Advo-
cute officiating at the trial of Lieutenant Thomas Fergus
Greer, made the following statement:—" Major Maxwell
has stated on oath that Captain Nicholas never ill-treated
young officers. I could put questions to prove that he did,
and that he (meaning Captain Nicholas) aids and abets
nearly everything of the kind that takes place ;" he (the
prisoner) then well knowing that so much of the said state•
went as imputed to Captain Nicholas, " that he ill-treated
young officers or aided and abetted others in so doing,"
was false."—Guilty.

The court thus acquitted the defendant on one
charge, but found him guilty on the three last. He
was, however, recommended to mercy on account of
his youth and inexperience, and his having acted
under the ill-advice of his legal adviser. In conse-
quence of this recommendation, and also on the
ground of the long and meritorious services of the
father of the prisoner, the Commander-in-Chief,
under the sanction of her Majesty, in dismissing
Lieutenant Perry from the service, allows him to sell
his commission.
Lieutenant Greer was tried upon a charge at
having been guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer
and a gentleman, and to the prejudice of good order
and military discipline, in the following instances :
lst. For having, on or about the night of the 2Rth, or
morning of 29th June last, wilfully struck and offered other
personal violence to Lieutenant Edward James Perry, of
the 46th Regiment.
2nd. For having at the same time and place used pro-
voking, insulting, and disgusting language to the said
Lieutenant Perry, calling him swindler, blackguard, and
using other language of an offensive and insulting nature.
Acquitted, but ordered to sell out.
Of Lieutenant Waldy it is remarked by the mili-
tary secretary in his report that " his letter ad-
dressed to Lieutenant Perry oil the 2nd June, 1854,
is not to be reconciled with his evidence given before
the court-martial which tried Lieutenant Perry a few
weeks afterwards." The report adds:—
Lieutenant Waldy appears to be a weak gossiping young
man, insensible of the duty of a rigid adherence to the
truth in describing the conduct of others ; and incapable of
estimating the mischievous cmsequences of exaggerating
a contradiction at the mess-table into the lie direct, by
which depnrture from the truth the character of his brother
officers might have been seriously affected.
As there does not seem, however, to he any reason
to believe that Lieutenant Waldy was actuated by

849

malicious motives, or a corrupt intention, the Com-
mander•in-Chief simply directs, with her Mejesty's
sanction, that he be severely reprimanded, and
cautioned, for the rest of his life, to adhere strictly to
the truth.

DECORATION OF THE NEW HOUSES ON
PARLIAMENT.

THE Commissioners of the Fine Arts have presented
their tenth report, in which they record the progress
and explain the principles of the attempts making to
turn the new Palace of the Legislature to advantage
" for the purpose of promoting and encouraging the
fine arts in the United Kingdom." They state :
" The series of eight fresco paintings in the upper wait-
ing-hall is now completed. The room was found to be but
scantily lighted, but we conceived that, as the paintings
would admit of being closely inspected, that objection was
in itself leas important; ♦hile, on the other hand, it might
not be withont its use experimentally, by suggesting •
treatment adapted to such a condition.
" We have now to add that, apart from the important
objects, more or less attained in the designs referred to, of
appropriate conception and expression in reference to the
subjects, these experimental works will be of use in show•
ing what are the external qualities generally essential in
fresco-painting, and especially so under given local circum-
stances. It will be for artists to consider, in witnessing
the effect of these works, to what extent the great requisite
of distinctness, as resulting, in its perfection, from intel-
ligible forms, perspicuous arrangement, and the judicious
distribution of light and dark masses, has or has not been
kept in view, subject to the local conditions of light, the
size of the apartment, and the dimensionsof the paintings ;
and subject to the general technical conditions of fresco-
painting—a method requiring, fron► its comparatively
limited resources, an especial attention to simplicity and
significance in representation.
" In the House of Lords eleven of the eighteen metal
statues of barons and prelates are nor placed in the niches
intended to receive them. The seven remaining statues
are the only works coming under our superintendence now
ttibe completed for this chamber.

" In St:Stephen's-hall, without as yet contemplating the
execution of the frescoes intended for that locality, we
propose that the series of twelve marble statues of end.
rent statesmen named in our fourth report, bearing date the
25th of April, 1845, should be gradually completed. Ac-
cordingly, in addition to the three already executed and
placed in the hall, we have given commissions to Ave artists
to execute each a statue of one of such personages.
" With regard to the Prince's Chamber, which we pro-
pose to decorate with statues, has-reliefs, and other works,
as detailed in our seventh report, dated the 13th of July,
1847, we have commissioned John Gibson, 8.A., to exe-
cute a statue of your Majesty, with figures of Justice and
Clemency, and with bas-reliefs on the pedestal, to be pieced
in the recess on the north side of the apartment. We have
also employed Mr. William Theed to prepare a series of
bas-reliefs, to be subsequently cast in metal, for the panels
on the walls.

" Of the frescoes intended for your Msjetny's Robing•
room, undertaken by William Dyce, R.A., and illustrative
of the legend of King Arthur, as proposed in our seventh
report, four have been completed. As it appears that the
artist will now be enabled to devote his whole time to
these works, they will, it is hoped, in future proceed more
rapidly.. With respect to the four paintings referred to,
we consider them altogether satisfactory. whether regarded
in their general treatment, or u examples of the method
of fresco-painting.

" We have commissioned John Rodgers Herbert, R. A.,
to prepare a series of designs for frescoes to be executed
in the Peers' Robing-room, according to a scheme also in-
dicated in our seventh report. The room itself is not get
built, and it is, therefore, expected that the artist's designs
will he completed by the time the walls are in a tit state to
receive frescoes.
" We have also given our attention to the decoration of
the principal corridors connecting the central hall wtth
the two Houses of Parliament. We have accordingly com-
missioned Edward Matthew Ward, A.R A., to undertake
the Commons' corridor, and Charles West Cope, R.A., to
undertake the Peers' corridor. The subjects intended for
these localities are enumerated in our seventh report, in
which it is also proposed that the pictures should be painted
in oil.

" We further propose to commission Daniel Mtn!lige
R.A., to paint in fresco, in the Painted Chamber, or Con-,
ference•hall, the subject of the rnaniuge of Strongbcnv and
Eva, the subject bring one of the series selected by us for
that apartment. The design for the fresco so proposed to
be executed will he adapted, according to the requirements
of fresco, from an oil picture of the same subject executed
by the artist on his own account, and which he has treated
with great ability.

" In onr last report, dated the 11th of March, IMO, we
humbly mated to your Majesty that the Lords Commislon-
ers of your Majesty's Treasury had consented to propose to
Parliament an annual expenditure amounting to 4,15101. to
dt fray the cord of the rations works recommended by us.
Since that period we have, with the sanction of their lord-
ships, continued to submit to Parliament an annual esti-
mate accordingly. The limitation of the expenditure as
stated may, however, be regarded as a cause of delay in the
prosecution of some of the works.

" ALBERT. CARLISLE.
NEW CA STLE. WILLOVOHBY n'EstissE.
SUTHERLAND. C. S. LEFETRE.
LA NRDOB NE. J. R. G. GRAHAM.
A BERDZEN. °WET HAB.BT
J. RUSSELL.
TAL3SLISTOX, • 111002211."

C•xsnro.