The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-19 00:00:00

THE INDIAN ARMY.

The following is an extract of a communication
which appeared in the Calcutta Englishman of the let of
April:—
"With reference to the future military arrangements for
garrisoning our new province of Pegu, it seems that two
brigades of Bengal troops for all the stations accessible by
, and two of Madras troops for all attainable by
Mauimain will be ample. The sooner the Bengal and
Madras troops are separated the better • the officers of the
one presidency do not understand the regulations and cus-
toms of the other. We have noticed how the Bengal sepoy
fraternises with the European soldier : there seems to be a
kindred spirit in both, and each, u far as their national
customs and knowledge of each other's tongue admit, tries
to be friendly and on social terms with the other. The
Madras European soldier, on the other hand, seems to have
a great contempt for the sepoy of his own presidency ; the
latter have an ugly trick of using their knowledge of the
English language by applying the lowest and coarsest
terms of English abuse on the and appearance of anything
like roughness on the part of the European, who, of
course, at once resents this by the application of physical
force. What is now said is without the remotest intention
of creating an invidious comparison, but nothing is mere
remarkable than the difference, in general appearance, in
cleanliness, in soldier-like demeanour, between the Bengal
and Madras troops during the march, both European and
native. The Bengal Fusiliers, with their clean white belts
and blue cap covers of uniform colour, are as different to
the Madras Fusiliers, with their unsoldievlike beards,
whiskers and moustaches, dirty cap coven (once white),
of all shapes and patterns, and yellow belts, as the clean,
smart, broad-backed sepoys of the 10th Bengal Native
Infantry are to the half-starved looking men of the
dth with their brown turbans and very dirty belts.
This is not the °result of observation of the Bengal
officers only, but of the highest authority in camp, and
Madras officers in general. In point of discipline in the
European regiments there cannot be a shadow of a doubt of
a much higher order prevailing in the Bengal regiments.
The march over our sun-burnt Bellary boys, with the:t
ditty feces and ruffian-looking whiskers and beards, iris
sleeves tucked up, are to be seen prowling abel.i the
pagodas with crowbars, ; sad towards the cli-;ky hours
of night the same individuals may be seen ~,Tering images
and bells for sale in the officers' tents. T. . ssengal Fusiliers
have been allowed since their arr.v: here to appear abroad
only in uniform, which elle .usUy prevents the mea
committing any disgraceful ...a; while our Madras heroes
go about everywhere 4,1 shirt-sleeves and wide-awakes.
The Genera' has found it necessary to cheek
this soh • ....wily to examine the contents of pagodas,
by orcle•l4 roll call every two hours."

SITAKSPEAIteS MONUMENT.—When I was a young
man, some thirty or forty years ago, I visited the monu-
ment of Shakspeare, in the beautiful church of Stratford-
upon-Avon, and there copied, from the Album which is
kept for tho names of ♦isitors, the following lines :
" Stringer ! to whom this monument is shown,
Invoke the poet's curse upon Malone !
Whose meddling real his barbarous taste;displays,
And smears his tombstone, es he mired his plays.
Oct. 2, 1810." R. F.
This has just now boon brought to my mind by reading, in
page 155, of the second volume of Moore's Journal, the fol-
lowing account of a conversation at Bowood :—" Talked of
Malone—a dull man—his whitewashing the statue of Shak-
speare, at Leamington or Stratford (?), and General Fitz-
patrick's (Lord L.'s uncle) epigram on the subject—very
1100,1—

" And smears his statue as he mars his lays.' "
I cannot but observe that the doubt expressed in the Diary
of Moore—whether Sbakspeare's monument is "at Lea-
mington or Stratford (I)"—is curious ; and I conceive my
version of the last line, besides being more correct, is also
more pithy. It is incorrect, moreover, to call it a statue, as
it is a three-quarters hit i 4 a niche in the "nil—ream
lotes and Quinn.

ELECTION EXPOSURES.
CANTERBURY BRIBERY COMMISSION.

—.---______ _____
CANTERBURY, MAT 18.
The Commission met at the usual hour, and the

first witness examined was
Mr. Plumper* Gipps, who stated that the money paid him
by Mr. Forbes Mackenzie was in two sums. The 6/JOl.
paid to Pont by Arbuthnot was from witness's ow moremtors, Messrs. Bridges and Mason. It was his owny,
but he could not soy he bad heard that some of it was paid
in indirect bribery. He was told beforehand what the ex-
penses would be, and he provided the sum required. He
(Mr. Gipps) brought 3001. in sovereigns down with him, but
he had no account of the expenditure. He told Messrs.
Bridges and Mason to send 600!. down by • trustworthy
person. After the election he paid 2601., by cheque, to Mr.
Kingsford. He had no doubt the 800/. was to be expended
in corrupting the electors, but imagined part of it would be
applied in legitimate expenses.
Mr. Pout was recalled. He could not account for Mr.
Vance's sudden retirement in 1860, and did not believe that
he was bribed to do so. (Laughter.) On the occasion of
Mr. Smythe's standing in 1846, he was told that if Ingham
or Alley applied to hill, to give them such • sum as they
might require. He gave Ingham between GOO/. and 700!.,
and Alley 4001., and he had no doubt the money was for
the purpose of bribery ; and he paid the money by the
order of Mr. Partridge, the chairman of the committee, now
dead. He should say that 3,000/. was employed at that
election in direct bribery. It was a single-handed election.
The money passed through his hands at the general elec-
tion, and he had no doubt the same practices prevailed.
Was not &waren box with 1,000 sovereigns was sent down
in 1811 election. He paid 2001. for the purposes of bribery
at the election in 1841, besides 1,1061., and was not aware
that any of it "stuck" by the way. He never received a
farthing for these services. His remuneration was the
friendship of those whom he served. (Loud laughter.)
Lord Pelham Clinton examined—Stated that he was a
candidate for Canterbury in 1847. Mr. Gridley, a solicitor,
told him he should stand harmless as far as money was con-
cerned. Major Beresford sent the money that was to defray
the expenses of the election. llad he (Lord Clinton) been
aware of the practices that prevailed, he should not have
come down. It was noised about that 5,0001. was brought
down from the Marquis of Conynghsm'a or Mr. Denison's
for the purposes of the " blue " interest. After the election
in 1847, • man passed under his lordship's window at the
Crown Hotel, and holding up a bag apparently of money,
said, " This here's got the election, if you have some next
time we will get you in." (Laughter.) 7001. was paid on
his account, and ho (Lord Clinton) had to pay some bills
after the election in consequence of Mr. Cropdall going
away with 6001. sent down to defray the expenses.
Alderman Brent recalled—stated that it was 100!. and
not 2081. he paid to Coppock, who he understood was acting
for Colonel Romilly. \Vhen he called on Lord Albert Co-
nyngham in town, his lordship said, " You had better not
pay over all the balance, as there may bo other expenses."
And when he paid Coppock he presumed it was Colonel
Romilly's money he was dealing with, until he beard Col.
Romilly in his evidence say the contrary.
The Hon. S. R. Lushinton examined, said ho recom-
mended Mr. Smythe to Canterbury in 1841. Ile (Mr.
Lushington) represented Canterbury in five parliaments,
and during his elections there was a great deal of improper
expenditure. The expenditure was to large that he took
the advice of Sir N. Tindall. He knew nothing of burning
the election accounts of 1841, as mentioned by Mr. Smythe
in his evidence, but he might have advised their destruc-
tion if they were bad, and if they committed parties.
Mr. G. Farley, solicitor, and chairman of Mr. Vance's
committee in 1860, said he went as • deputation with
Collard and others and saw Mr. Vance and Mr. Brown, at
the Carlton, and told them that 3001. would be required for
the legal expenses of the election. Colour tickets were used ,
on that occasion. Mr. Vance suddenly retired after seeing
Brown at that election, saying he was afraid of the
Bifrons puree, i. e., the purse of Lord Albert Conyngham.
Witness afterwards heard that Mr. Vance received 1,0001.
from Lord A. Conyngham to retire.
Thomas King deposed that at Mr. Smythe's election, in
1841, one thousand sovereigns were placed in his hands by
Captain Begg, • friend of Mr. Smythe's, and he paid the
money away to the order of the chairman of the committee.
Mr. Kingsford, jun., stated that 860!. went through his
father's office at the last election, of which 200/. was paid to
Pont, and the rest to others, by order of Dr.Lochee, the chair-
man of the Conservative committee. He did not think it was
for any improper practices. He had the papers connected
with the defence of the seats of M . Gipps and John-
stone, but giving them up would compromise parties.
Mr. Blade, chief commissioner—We must have them. Our
order protects you.
Dr. Lochee, chairman of the Conservative committee of
MOWS. Johnstone and Gipps, said he received 420!. sent by
post at the last elecdon, sad which he gave to Smith to pay
the colour-men. Ile also received 3001. from Mr. Whit-
wick, a partner in Mr. Kingsford's house, and which he
gave to Taylor to pay bills with. Gave Godwin 1001., with-
out inquiring what the demand was for, but because ho
thought Godwin was damaging the Conservative cause, but
did not bear he had threatened to expose it. Was phy-
sician to Canterbury Hospital, and canvassed the voters
there for their votes.
Mr. Kingsford said he was instructed by Mr. Johnstone
not to give up his private papers, and to dispute the power
of the commissioners.
Mr. Slade, chief commissioner, intimated that he would
give these gentlemen until Friday to think the matter,
which was no light one, over.
The proceedings were then adjourned to this day.