Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-14 00:00:00

THE. BILLETING SYSTEM,

On Saturday, we briefly announced that a deputation had
waited upon the Secretary of State for War, with reference
to the billeting grievance and the forthcoming Mutiny Bill.
We may add some particulars of interest : there were per-
sent W. M. Matsey, M.P., T.
.B. Horsfall, M.P., J. As-
pinall Turner, M.P., T. Bailey, M.P., Mr. Cowan,
M.P., and Captain Grey, MP. The deputation was sent
by the Provincial Licensed Victuallers' Defence League.

Mr. Massey, .11.f.P , having formally introduced the pur-
port of the interview,

Mr. Candelet said the select committee, presided over by
General Codrington last session, proved that the grievance
arising from the billetting system was one which had
existed for a succcasion of years, and the innkeepers of this
country had been unable even to cause an inquiry to be
instituted until the present ministry came into office. The
allowance for soldiers billeted had been raised from 11d. to
4d per day, and gave general satisfaction. Notwithstanding
this, and as mere matters of detail, they wished to
urge upon the government that, in order to
prevent the impersonation of parties billetting
and to make fraudulent alteration in the billeting
paper mare difficult, it shall in future be rendered
imperative upon "billet masters" throughout the United
Kingdom to have the parties before :them for whom billets
are required at the time of application, and that they shall
write, or cause to be written, upon the billet paper the names
of those for whom the billet is required, and the number of
nights for which it is issued, instead of figures. It was also
suggested that the allowance to innkeepers for their accom—
modation in future should be paid by the billet masters, at
their offices, on presentation of the billet paper, at expira-
tion of the period for which it is issued. MY. Candelet
quoted from the report of the select committee in support
of his views, adding the opinion of Sir Richard Mayne,
the commissioner of police for the metropolis, that the distri-
bution of billets should not be in the hands of the police.
. Mr. Ingham mentioned that the objections of innkeepers
were chiefly against the reception of recruits, for by the
facilities afforded by railways; they were seldom troubled
with soldiers. During the past year the number of men
billeted in Salford was 12,017, or on an average of 24 per
day. He suggested the formation of a barrack lodgings, in
lieu of billets to be provided by the inkeepers.
Mr. Dobie said the inkeepers would rather have a large
billeting-house in the princip.al towns.
General Peel promised to issue official instructions about
the mode of filling up the billets, and said when the inn•
keepers were ready with the proposal for billeting-houses,
they were to communicate with him. He was very glad of
such an arrangement, which was to place recruits more
effectually under military supervision.
The deputation then retired.

PROPOSED NEW ATLANTIC CABLE.---,A. meeting was held
on Friday, at the Town-hall, Manchester, to hear from Mr.
Allan, electrical engineer, "An Explanation of his Systems •
of Ocean Telegraphy, with more Especial Reference to the
Cable he Proposes to Lay Across the Atlantic." In the
absence of the Mayor, the chair was taken by 3fr.,R. Bar-
bour. Mr. Allan made a loag statement, and replied to
several questions. He said his cable differed from that
which had .already been laid down across the Atlantic, by
being lighter, and possessing greater power of conductibi- '
bility. The route proposed was from Land's End direct to
Halifax. The cost of the cable would be about the same as
that already submerged, but it could be shipped in one ves-
sel, and there -would he a reduction in. the number of
stations, so that the tariff for messages would be reduced.
On the motion of Mr. Oliver Heywood, seconded by Mr.
William Entwistle, a vote of thanks was passed to. Mr. Wil-
liam Allan, and the proceedings terminated. .
MURDER IN Weres.-- There is every reason to believe
that a brutal murder has been committed at the village of
Herwain, near Merthyr, in Wales. The deceased, William
David, a haulier, on Monday night,- went to the Hirwain
Castle Inn, and left the house at rather a late hour. The
landlord, William Jones, was afterwards heard to amuse
his wife of inconstancy with the guests. and was heard
to say, " That through her, Will. David was now lying
dead." At hearing this, the• men in the house
became alarmed, and asked for a candle. to search for
the missing man. The landlord' now became
very violent, and the attendance of police constable Thorney
was procured. Early in the morning Jones raised an alarm •
that he- had found Will David dead' in the stable. Upon
the facts of the case coming to the knowledge of Superin-
tendant Wrenn, he went and charged Jones with the wilful
murder of the deceased. He- replied, "-well, it can't be
helped, I. didn't do it ; lam innocent of the charge." The
superintendent finding marks of blood. upon his clothes,
took him into custody, and he was to be brought up on a
charge of wilful murder before the magistrates- at Merthyr
Police Court, on Saturday last.
AMERICAN AND ENGLISH. POSTAGE.- In Our last number
we noticed some dashing- remarks made by Mr. George
Francis Train, on the delay of the English goeernment to
reducethe postage between-this country and the United States.
The representative of Young America is exceedingly quick
in his perception, and in his expression ; andiu this instance
he has been a little too quick. If there is. any lee-way to
be fetched up in the matter of the postage reduction be-
tween England and America, the duty lies with Mr. Train's
own government ; and we are doing no disservice to our
friends in the Union when we point out the fact, with all
the explicitness and emphasis that we can employ. For many
years the British Feist-office has. been. using its influence,
generally with much success, for the purpose of inducing
other governments:to consent to reductions in the postage
with this country. There is one government which has
maorreefothrmanmanuyst ostohoenr steadily resisted these efforts of our.
post-office, and that, we do not eegret to say it, is the
government of the United States. The practical and,
exist* result, however, is. a sufficiently absurd anomaly.'
For some years past, the total charge on letters from this
country to any one of our colonies has been 6d., and this
rate apples, of course, to our correspondence.
Two letters are
whole of British North America.
posted. in London, one for Toronto . and me for
New togother ;but
one York ; they make the sea
or
and the other goes
one stops short at the Empire City,
far on beyond the Hudson and St. Lawrence, On the
shorter journey, the charge is ls. ;
the longer, it is 6d.
We do not regret that the United Statesoi is the one govern-
ment which has heretofore mainly resisted the appeals for
reform, because the facts are so plain, the Americans are so
keen-sighted in commercial
lf matters, and we know, as in
the case of Mr. Train hi
mod has at last been drawn himself,
up its mind, no go be effected;
than that of the R br R
, that the attention of public
so forcibly to the subject, that
and, when. once it makes
vernment oan be more decided and prom')
ep4 lc.---,ectqfor,