The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-20 00:00:00

PLYMOUTH AND THE MAIL STEAMERS.

The members of the Plymouth Chamber of Com-
merce held a meeting on Wednesday at noon. In the al:more
of the Earl of Morley, t►e chairman of the chamber, W. H.
HAWKER, Eeq the vice chairman, presided. The object
of the meeting was to consider the draft of a memorial to
be presented to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
with the view of obtaining for Plymouth the position of a
mail-packet station. The movement had been initiated in
the Town Council, and a memorial to their lordships
adopted. _

.
Amongst the gentlemen present were Messrs. C. C.
Whiteford. J. Kelley, W. Lunombe, I. Nicholls, R. W.
Stevens, W. Human, J. C. Wilcock., H. A. Hampton, J.
Luiwombe, &c.
The PIiESIMINT having stated the object of the meeting,
the (ideation was raised whelier the memoridl as adopted
by the Town Conseil should be accepted in its entirety or
altered in any parr.
The memorial, which is as follows, was drawn up by Mr.
R. White Stevens.

To the Right Honourable the L-rds Ccmmissiouers of
the Admiralty.
" The memorial of the council of the borcugh of Ply-
mouth, in the county of Devon, sheweth—
" That your memorialists have heard with considerable
surprise that it is prop:red to discontinue the practice of
embarking and disembukiog the Cape of Good Hope mails
at Plytnenth. That these mails have been embarked and
disembarked at Plymouth from the commencement of the
service by the ships of the General Screw Steam Shipping
Company in December, 18.50, mud during all that pencil
those ships have arrived at and sailed hem Plymouth
&laud, by day or night, without detention and without
accident. _ _ _

" That the Sound possesses an open communication with
the Eoglish Channel, from which the Eddystone Lighthouse
is a sure and consusut guide, sad that its deep harbour is
protected by Vie breakwater, the lighthouse on which
affords a second faciilty (or entering the port at all hours in
safety.
That your memorialists are informed that it is proposed
to make Southampton the mail port for the Cape service,
and they bog to tail the serious attention of your lordship
to the mita, which will be iofl.cted on the commerce, and
postal communications of the country at large, by such an
alteration.

" That the distance from the Eddystone to Plymouth is
about 10 miles, and from the Eddystone to Southampton,
by the Needles, 126 miles, being an access of 116 miles over
Plymouth. This, however, is not the only loss. When
easterly winds prevail, a screw steam ship off Ushant, could
make nine knots or more per hour, if bound to Plymouth,
and not half that speed if bound to Southampton, after
passing the Eddystone and the Start. Ships bound to
Southampton have to encounter the difficult and narrow
entrance at the Needle Rocks, and the entrance and dan-
gerous navigation inside, for' 2 miles to Southampton. It
sometimes happens that the Needle passage is altogether
impracticable, and ships have then to prxeed round the
Isle of Wight, by the Nab Light Vessel.
" That these obstacles to the speedy landing of the mails
at Southampton are greatly increased is stormy weather,
when the entrance to the Needles cannot be attempted
without the aid of a pilot. who is prevented by the same
weather from going outside, or if outside, is unable to board
vessels from the turbulence of the sea which there exists on
the Shingles Bank, and on the shallow waters near the
Needles. It will be found, on inquiry, that many mail
packets have recently had to lie-to there for several hours,
to th c great detriment of the commerce of the nation where,
when inside the Needles, considerable loss of time also
occurs in avoiding the dangerous sandbanks, which obstruct
the passage, especially during the fogs, which so often pre-
vail in that locality when the vessels can only proceed a ith
safety at very reduced speed, and keeping the lead con-
stantly going.
" That when steam ships are outward bound from South-
ampton, they are, although of large power, occasionally
compelled during the continuance of south westerly gales,
to remain inside the Needles, and when outside, the same
gales prevent a quick passage down Channel, the course
from the Needles being 47.0 west, to the north-west point
of Ushant. - -

" 1 hat the course from Plymouth being only south 19.30
west, these westerly gales have never, except on two occa-
sions during a period of nearly three years. p ted even
the supplementary Cope mail packets of small comparative
power, from crooeeding to sea, and at no time have the full
sized pack. te bees prevented by the warither, from leaviog
the port. That none of these ships have been forced by
stress of weather to put back, or anchor, after leaving
Plymouth, and that they have never, large or smell, on
any occasion, with the wind from any quarter, been pre-
vented from entering that harbour, when homeward bound.
" The shortest distance from a port five miles north-west
ward of lishant at the entrance to the channel, to South-
ampton, is 214 miles; and from the same point to Plymouth
Is 118 miles. The difference of time ordinarily occupied in
the transit to the two ports would be about twelve hours,
and assuming the difference of time occupied in railway
communication between the two ports and London, to be
four hours in favour of Southampton, on &comparison of the
entire distance from the ports Indicated to London, as be-
tween Plymouth end Southampton, them will be a constant
gain of eight hours by landing or embarking the mails at
Ply&auutb. That a very large and increased proportion of
the trade of the country is now carried on by the tele-
graphic wire, which is extended to Plymouth. By this
mode of communication the difference of time in corre-
sponding from Plymouth or London is practically annihilated
and there would be a constant gain of twelve hours in the
transmission of intelligence to government or to merchants,
which (is already observed) would be greatly increased in
stormy weather. It is also to be noticed that the advantage
in point of distance In favour of Plymouth is really greater
than is above assumed, since the track of the homeward-
bound Cape steamers is to the westward of the point above
laid down. The direct course to or from St Vincent's, the
first and last ocean coal depot of these ships, is a straight
line to Plymouth. This position falls about 20 miles to the
north-west of tsbant lighthouse, and every mile to the north
west brings the track, by comparison, nearer to Plymouth
than Southampton.
" That the loss of time in the mail communication which
will result from the removal of the packets from Plymouth,
will not be confined to the metropolis, Exeter, Bristol, Bir-
mingham, Manchester, the manufacturing districts, but
Liverpool and Glasgow will loose considerably more time, in
consequence of their greater postal distance front Southamp-
ton than from Plymouth. Indeed, all the commercial towns
of the west will sae placed at a great disadvantage by the
proposed alteration.
tt That the greater distance a mail fi conveyed by land,
the more advestageons it is for the community at large.
Not only is time saved, but the full development of the sys-
tem would enable a mail train to be gathering correspond-
ence from the centre of the country, down to the water's
edge, and to be distributing letters from the moment of their
landing.
' That it was proposed in October, 1862, to remove the
Cate mail packets to Southampton, but your memorialists
appealed that the representations then submitted of the is-
jury which would occur to the commerce of the nation,
induced your lordships to decide on continuing the service
at Plymouth.
tt That taking all theme circumstances into consideration,
your memorialists prey that the Cape mail-packet service,
which includes the communication with the Mauritius, may
continue at Plymouth, or that no alteratton be made until a
full and complete inquiry is instituted into the merits of
this important subject."
Mr. Wurthronu, the town clerk, and others, thought it
would be most effective to adopt it unaltered.
Mr. J. B. Wtheocas then related a circumstance which
had come to his knowledge, which, in his opinion, would
weigh materially in favour of Plymouth as a port of depar-
ture, as compared with Southampton. Two vessels
were appointed to sail, ono from Plymouth and the
other front Southampton; both within two days—ono on
the 16th September and the other on the 17th September
—were notified to take emigrants. The one at Plymouth,
the David Malone', sailed hoot this port on the 20th
September with a west-north-west wind, and pro-
ceeded on her voyage. The oz. at Portsmouth sailed
on the same day, but struck or touched on the Mother
Bank, where she remained till the 8:h of October—ln fact
18 days. This fact—to which if trouble wet* taken they
daubtlese could get many a parallel—was of much import-
ance se bearing out the assertions contained in the memo-
rial/.
Several gentlemen thought it was a remarkable case in
point. and that it was worthy of being brought under the
notice of the Admiralty.
Mr. J. NICHOLLS then pioposed the following reeolu-
tiou : " That the memorial to the Lords of the Admiralty
now reed be adopted by this Chamber, as embodying the
peeition of the port of Plymouth as the most favourable re
sort for melt steam packets in a national point of view ; and
that Lord Morley, the chairman of the Chamber, be re-
quested to supp,rt its prayer, in conjunction with the
Mayor and Mr. Robert White Stevens, In their interview
with the Admiralty."
Mr. J. Lescount seconded the motion, which was car-
ried unanimously, and the meeticg separated.

KING EDWARD RAGGED AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
—BAZAAR AND FANCY FAIR.—The friends and promoters
of this valuable Institution, which now educates, trains,
and otherwise mires 600 children, who, but for its care,
would have been entirely destitute, being anxious to ex-
tend its usefulners, have endeavoured to attract the contri-
butions of the fashionable world by opening a basso, and
fancy lair at the well known anti central premises, 14, Lud-
gate•hill, about to be occupied by the Milton Club. The
bazaar evened yesterday, and, notwithstanding the lode-
ntenty of the weather, we were happy to see it fully and
fashionably attended. Tbe articles, principally the work of
fair amateurs, exhibited mere than the usual variety and
taste, and included toys, embroidery, artistic needlework,
ftc.. in great abundance. Amongst them were contrihn-
tiODZ from the Countess of Shaftesbury, Countess Manes re,
Ladies Beauchamp, Rsdsteek, the Mimes Gurney, &c. lu
addition to the fancy articles a model of the school, and a
: miniature priming press attracted great attention. A rapid
sale was effected, and the prices, as might be expected, were
moat satisfactory. A good band, under the direction of Mr.
I G. F. Taylor. was in attendance throughcat the day, end
played a tasteful selection of popular music. The mi.
ginel intention was that the bazaar should close this
his:, tearing that the weather may have kept back
I a portion of the charitable public, the promoters have deter-
; mined a give them another day—Friday. The Rev. Mr.
Tyler and Mr. H. It. Williams, to whose ?milted exertion,
I the scho:44mfty be said to owe their taiatenco, attend daily,
' and are happy to rive every information to visitors.
THE GRAND DUCHESS MARIE OF RUSsIA came
to town from Torquay last week, and intends to leave Tor-
qua on the' Ist instant for Dover. It is stated, but can
hardly be true, that this lady Is to be conveyed from Dover
to ()Mad is one of the denten of the National navy.

swINDLI.VG IN TWO HEMISPHERES.

Not long since an ingentritui and anccersdnl practice
of swindling, carried on in America upon English victims,
was exposed under the above heading in these columns.
It was then stated that the fund was carried on by means
of begging letters addressed from America, by a soi disant
sick prisoner in a "gaol hospital"—who only signs with the
letter "E."—to gentlemen of wealth and station in Eng-
land, recently dead, acknowledging in fulsome terms the
1 receipt of former bounty, and asking for a M. or 10/. note
to enable" E." to procure articles of fiat. &c., which the
prison rules deny him. He requests the let:er containing
the Bask of England note may be addressed to the physi-
cian of the institution, who has been very kind to hint. In
some cases the trap has been successful. Near surviving
relatives, knowing their recently deceased husband, father,
or brother, to have been a benevolent man, have thought it
a pious dirty to carry out what would have been his own
wishes had he lived, and have sent a bank note. In many
other cases suspicions being awakened, the relative into
whose hand. E.'s letter to the deceased came, has writ-
ten to the supposed physician for further informa-
tion, and frequently received a reply, in a diflvrent
handwriting, and signed by the " doctor," speaking of
his pour patient as exemplary in conduct, but as de-
dining to allow his name to be known, as his benefactor is
dead.

--The Manchester Guardian of yesterday states that it baa
now received, through the kindness of Mr. J.ffia Chadwick,
of Broadfielth Rochdale, a great taus of letters, oocurying
several hours barely to glance through, and all containing
evidence of the same artful trick, practised during the last
three years lay the same designing villain.
The earliest dates we have seen on any of the letters of
* E." are of May, 1850; the most recent are or April, 18.53;
so that during three years within a month, the rascal has
been scribbling these letters, to deceased persons in various
parts of England, and in one or two cases in Ireland—being
every now sod then successful in getting a remittance from
some one who has been disarmed of suspicion by the writer's
appeal to the well-known benevolence of a relative and
friend recently lost. Mr. John Chadwick hes received
bundles of letters from E." and his doctor " from per-
sons in all ranks of society, with details of the frauds com-
mitted on these parties, as one sufferer expresses it "at a
time when the minds of surviving relatives are most inca-
pable of deliberation or sound judgment." The first letter
thet "E." addressed to any deceased person in this country
is from the same stereotype form, always alike in substance,
frequently the same in words, and the handwriting is in-
variably the same. The swindler is accomplished in his
vocation ; he knows his business well. By careful perusal
of English papers, or from other sources, he gleans sum-
cient Information in some cases to enable him to allude to
the country house or sea side sojourn of the deceased for
some period previous to his death, as a fact familiar to him-
self ; and as he often dates his first letter within a few days
only of the death of the dectuest to whom it is addressed,
the difference between its internal date sad that of the post-
mark of the American town where it is posted escapism de-
tection, survivors are thrown off their guard. If no answer
is made to his first letter, " E." sometimes ventures on a
second, complaining of the silence of his generous friend :
or, as the case may be, assumes that his first letter, or the
answer to it, must have miscarried. If his letter falls into tbs
bands of some kind person, who wishes to know something
more about him, with a view to more substantial help,
E." in reply laments the announced death of his only
friend aced tot nefactor ; takes care to allude to an advance of
mosey (sometimes 201., sometimes more), which he will
surely repay when he has got out of this " konible " Ame-
rican gaol, " if ever he live to return to his dear native coun-
try and his noble parents;" but he declines to bring shame
upon them by revealing his name. He artfully avoids
making a second request for money ; but this second jitter
is usually inclosed in one from " the doctor," whose cone-
Iterative evidence as to his penitence, good conduct, and dis-
tressing condition often succeeds in extracting the remit-
tance of a hank-note. In one case," E.'s" first letter coming
to the hands of a bereaved widow, whose only happiness left
was to honour her husband's name, and to carry his bene-
volence to a successful issue," she sent a remittance; and
E." in acknowledging its receipt, fears she has put herself
to inconvenience to spare him the money, assures her he
has difficulty in accepting it from her, but the "doctor" in-
sists on the propriety of his keeping it ; therefore with tears
and prayers and blessings oc the lady, he commends her to
heaven tor consolation in her bereavement. The doctor
backs this with a letter from himself; and the result is that
the benevolent lady transmitted a sewed bank note of 101.,
which "/V duly acknowledges, declares it will set him
at liberty ; says be is "so excited that he hardly knows
what he writes," but he will "surely return to his home;
kneel at her feet and bless her." He lives "oney to repay
all he owes to her," and the 301. he was previously indebted
to her husband, die. Then the doctor writes again to the
t fleet that he had received that morning from the governor
"our poor young friend's pardon ;" that she doctor's wife
should nurse him • week previous to his voyage, and that in
three weeks or a month be will be in England; the doctor
will himself see him on board, and he prays the lady to
write after she has seen "the poor young gentleman," as
the doctor takes great interest in him and wishes to know
that he has arrived safe and is doing well. In due time
the lady receives another letter from "E," stating that he
had only arrived in London from Liverpool that morning,
and that he should leave for home that night; that the
voyage has fatigued him much, but he truce on reaching
home and "being clasped in the fond embrace of his
dearest parent'," will do much to revive him. In three
weeks he purposes to see his benefactress, when all ;pecu-
niary kindnesses shall be repaid ; but the debt of gratitude
never can be repaid. Would that his noble benefactor were
also alive that he might lee he was not altogether unworthy
of his goodness. He has a letter for the lady from the good
doctor, which he will personally deliver, &c. It need
scarcely be added that from the date of his London letter
(April 6, 1853) to the present time " B." has never made
his 91,ar,°°'. • .

Mr. Chadwick observes that strange as these letters may
appear, the same story, with very slight variations, has been
palmed on many other parties, at data commencing in 1849,
and continuing to April or May last. He has observed in the
numerous letters of " E." and " the doctor," forwarded to
him by parties duped or sought to be duped by the swinaler,
that with very few exceptions the post mark on the letters
is " Baltimore," though within, the letters are dated from a
dozen other places. The numerous and Ingenious changes
in the doctor's name, betray the extent to which the fraud
is carried on. The letters written by the same hand, and
dated is Zeeland, have the English post mark ; one letter
had that of Havre de-Grace. This may be readily accounted
for, as one part of the rogue's system must be, tossed letters
by any individual sailing from the United States to be posted
in Europe. Sometimes these are marked " Per favour of
Captain Johnson." We think a careful perusal of the bulky
pile of letters before us, would lead any unprejudiced mind
to the conclusion at which Mr. Chadwick has arrived, and
at which we formerly hinted, that the rascal is domiciled in
Baltimore, and that various posteofiloes In the United States
have been requested by him to send letters arriving " from
Europe" to his address in their towns, forward to Balti-
more; sometimes to Washington. The scheme has been so
far systematised, that it only requires mu person to carry it
on ; bat he must keep &regular entry of the parties to whom
he sends letting, the place from which they are dated, the
name of the doctor, and other particulars, es that he may
keep up several stories to a many English correspondents,
without confusing names, dates, and plum.
Applications having bun made from this country to the
British consul at Baltimore, he writes (6th Deumher, 1851)
that be had been familiar with the operations of " E." for
upwards of a year, having during that period received va-
rious letters from England, requesting him to find out and
relieve the sufferer, if worthy. The consul in the course of
his inquiries finds no inch prisoner ; but, after searching
investigation through the peatoifflue does ascertain that a
certain " Dr. Bates, of Easton, Maryland, can imitate any
one's signature ;" and writes la different handwritings to
the postmaster', requesting letters to be forwarded (to the
doctor as named) to Annapolis, Baltimore, Washington, or
elsewhere, whence he again enters them to be transmitted
to some other place, so as to avoid detection. The consul
pronounces him a " consummate scoundrel."
Many parties forwarding the letterset "E" to Mr. Chad-
wick, have expressed a wish that their names should not
appear, and we have therefore forborne to publish any.
But we have been at the trouble to prepare a list giving the
dates of the letters of E., the various names and addresses
of the " goad doctor," &c., which the American papers
would do well to circulate, tutted all the putouts re might
be a little on the alert, and with the aid of the police, might
ultimately catch this accomplished swindler.
Names and addresses of " E.'s " good doctor—Bates,
Samuel, gaol physician, Easton, Maryland; Bates, Samuel
T., Easton, Maryland; Can Dr., Easton, Maryland; Em-
berton, Robert, Elkton, Maryland ; Ellis, Miles H. Easton,
Northampton County ; Grant, F. H., Columbia, Lancester
County, Pennsylvania; Halstead, B. 8., Dover, Delaware ;
Harper, Miles, Baltimore; Harper, Niles, Baltimore;
Hawley, F. H , Chester, Peonsylvania ; •Henderson,
Thomas, New Brunswick, New Jersey ; Ludlow, Edmund,
Camden, New Jersey ; Moreland, G. W., Portsmouth, Vir-
ginia; Poole, P. W., Reading., Berke County, Penney'.
vault; Randall, Robert, Burlington, New Jersey; Rod-
man, Samuel, Washington, Delaware County ; Walton,
S. R., Norrinowe, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
As to the dates at which the "good doctor" was referred
to in the letters of " E," by one or other of the shove names,
it may be noteworthy that they wen in the following order
1850. Early, Dr. Carr ; May, Dr. Henderson; Get., Dr.
Niles Harper. 1861. Feb., Dr. Emberton; Feb , Dr.
Bates; Aug. and Oat., Dr. Ludlow; Oct., Dr. Hawley ;
Oct , Dr. Randall. 1862. Jan., Dr. Rodman; Sept., Dr.
Halstead; Sept., Dr. Moreland; Nov., Dr. Grant; Dec., Dr.
Walton. 1853. April, Dr. Miles H. Ellis; May, Dr.
Poole; July, Dr. Poole.
There is yet another thing which Is shown by a rough
analysis of the dates. On May 20, 1850, the swindler dated
two letters, New Brunswick, New Jersey, which were posted
at New York, for two deceased gentlemen in different parts
of England; referring both to Dr. Thomas Henderson.
About October 6, 1860, three letters, dated Gaol Hospital,
Hanover County, were sent to different deceased persons in
England, all referring to Dr. Niles Harper. %Vs have only
met with one letter of February 4, 1851, referring to Dr.
Embertost ; but on the 12th of that month "E." wrote
another, referring to Dr. Bates. On the 7th August, 1851,1
he wrote giving " the good doctor's" name, Dr. Ludlow,
and another Litter to a different party in England on the '
14th October, naming Dr. Ludlow. In that month of
October, he had rime "good doctors" for different CU,-
respoodents—the one already named; Dr. Hawley, in
two letters of October 14, and another of October 21;
and Dr. Randall, in four letters of October 23 and 24,
and thereabouts. Oa the 28th J weary, 1852, he dated
two letters, both naming Dr. nommen. Some of his
iterary productions during the next few mouths have
hitherto escaped publicity ; but in September, 1862, he bad
two doctors, viz., Dr. Halstead oa the Bth, Dr. Moreland
on the 18th. Oa the 4th November be tames Dr. Grant.
la letters dated December 6th pad 10th, to two deceased

gentlemen in England, he names Dr. Walton. In April,
1853, in two letters dated the 25th, and two more of the
28th of that month, all four to deceased "dear and
honoured benefactors," he names Dr. Miles H. Ellis. In
three letters (to u many benefactnys) of May 2, 18, and 23,
1853, Dr. Poole is his ltenerolenT friend ; and again Dr.
Pools serves him in • letter dated July 6, 1853, to a de-
ceased gentleman in the immediate neighbourhood of Man-
chester. From this synopsis we infer that he issues a batch
of letters about the same time to different persons; and
conducts these several correspondences to a close frequently
resulting in remittances, before he flies more of these "gaol
hospital kites," for his "honoured benefactors" in England.
We will only add that it is scarcely creditable to the vigi-
lance and dexterity of the police in the United States, espe-
cially to that of Baltimore, that this rascal has so long
escaped detection.