Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-09 00:00:00

Humber ?

made to the Master-General of the Ordinance, in 1854, by
a committee of officers appointed to inquire into that subjeet.

Mr. S. Herbert detailed the inquiries which had been
made into the defence of the Humber. Considerable sums
have been placed on the estimates for the defence of com-
mercial ports, out of which he would endeavour to apply a

part to the Humber.
Mr. Whiteside, in reply to the question previously put
by Mr. Hassard, declared that the settlement of the ques-
tion had been extended by' the late government, who had
prepared the measure on the subject, which they would have
introduced at the earliest moment. They were only pre-
vented by the efforts of those very men who assumed to be
the friend.: of tenants in Ireland. As the House had thought
pro to change the government, he resigned it into the
handri of his successors.
Captain Esmond hoped, that Mr. Whiteside would at
least lay his bill upon the table, that they might have the
advantage of seeing it.

Mr. Hennessey declared, that the intention of the late
Government, offered a fair settlement of the question. It

now appeared that its further consideration was to be
deferred till the next session, which he greatly regretted.

After some discussion on the production of the report, of
the Docks and Commissions, the house went into Committee

of supply.
Lord Paget moved, that the navy estimates—which, he
said, were of an unusually large and complicated nature—

he proposed, in the first instance, to shew the force of the
ships in commission—those in reserve, and those in course
of construction. Of the first, we had twelve screw sail of
the line in the Channel, and fourteen in the Mediterranean.
Only a few of those last put in commission were not fully
manned. Of the frigates, which were not so well provided,
we had in the Home station twelve screw and one paddle
frigate, and in the Mediterranean, two screw and one
paddle-117 corvettes, under which he included all
smaller vessels, except gunboats. We had at Home six
screw and twenty-six paddle, and in the Mediterranean,
ten screw and nine paddle steamers. The whole force
in commission scattered over the world, including
sailing vessels amounted to about 200. This was our first
line of defence. Of the second line, we had nine block
ships, manned by the coast-guard, and which would be of
great service in defence of the country. We had on the
coast guard service 3,400 most effective seamen, attached to
whom were already enrolled 3,400 coast volunteers. As to
the ships in construction during the present year it was
something superfluous. Ten screw sail of the line were
ready for commission. These would be ready in the course
of the autumn. One was under repairs. The grand
total of sail of the line would be 56, of whom
50 might shortly be expected to be added at
the end of the present financial year, independent of
the blockships. At the same time, he expected that the
country would have afloat,. 37 frigates, 140 corvettes, and
sloops. We could at any time, greatly increase our navy,
from our merchant yards. The number of men they now
had, was very near the number voted by Parliament,- while
the Government had at present no power to increase the
number of ships in commission. Under these circumstances
he thought the navy was in a state, which reflected credit
upon the country. As to the actual vote to be proposed, the
first was an addition of 8,000 to the 47,000 seamen,
already voted and 2,000 marines in addition to
the 8000 already voted. There were further votes
increasing the salaries of the medical officer and chaplains,
and some others, among whom he thought that the pay-
masters ought to be included. There was a vote for sea-
men's bounty. This matter involved many difficulties. It
was intended to grant a portion of the bounty to seamen
who had joined before the bounty was offered, under proper
conditions. At the same time he did not think the late
government authorised when it offered this bounty without
consent of Parliament, and all future measures on the sub-
ject would require to be carefully guarded. There was
another vote, on a matter which involved some difference
of opinion, that for the Volunteer Reserved Corps. None
of the money would be expended until an act of Parliament,
regulating the naval volunteers, should have been obtained.
Coming to the vote for the dockyards, he gave the late
government great credit for their active efforts in providing
a sufficient number of workmen for the actual exigencies.
Sir J. Pakington expressed his satisfaction that the
present government had adopted the estimates and plans of
their predecessors, but could not understand why the latter
had lost the confidence of the country.
Sir C. Napier entered into a variety of details on the

subject.
Mr. Lindsay made some comparisons between the cost of
constructing ships in the government dockyards with that
of a private yard. The former was not much larger, so
that there must be something wrong in the management.
A similar extravagance was to be found in other depart-
ments, in none of which was value for the money expended
obtained by the country. •
Mr. Cardwell entered in detail into the proposals made

by the commission on the navy.
Sir C. J. Elphinstone defended the navy from the charge
of not using the appliances used in the merchant service.
The remainder of the evening was occupied with the
discussion of the estimates.
The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the
House adjourned at a quarter to one.

SINGCLAR RECOVERY OF LOST PROPERTY.—On Wednes-
day Mr. Carl Schmidt, merchant of Hamburg, after returning
home for a walk in Kensington-gardens missed his pocket
book, containing upwards of £3OO in notes. Remembering
that he had—while standing throwing pieces of biscuit to
the waterfowl—fancied' he had dropped spmethincr, he at
once proceeded to the shrubbery found his note book beneath
one of the rhododendron bushes although more than an hour
had elapsed since the loss of it.
" PISTOL. Mr. Skaife, it is said, has
A PHOTOGRAPHIC
invented a photographic apparatus (remarks the Builder)
which can be carried in the hand, and which, working by
means of a trigger, can be used with ease and certainty.
He has denominated his instrument " the pistol, camera. "
"The " weapon " is levelled at an object, and a microscopic
photograph is "picked off" on the instant. It is much to
b. desired that this were the only sort of "pistol" in use.
To WHISTLERB.—‘ Speaking of bores,' says a victim of
one of that species, ' I can scarcely imagine one capable of
inflicting more misery than an intolerable whistler. I can
stand a fife when all the nation is ' armed and equipped '
on training days, and a drum with its flang, flang, ' serving
to drown its screams ; but to listen to a poor air, murdered
by.e. poorer puekerer, I prefer death in some easier, if not
quicker way. I always think of the French stage-driver,
who being very much annoyed by such a bore, turned upon
I him with —' Mine frien, vat you all de time vistde ? You
loss your dog, eh ? '

TIIE
RICHMOND POISONING

CASE.

TRIAL OF DR. SMETHURST

At the conclusion of Mr. Ballantine's opening address for
the prosecution, and published in our paper of yesterday, the
following evidence was taken :
Mrs. Mary Smith, examined by Mr. Bodkin : I and my
husband reside at No. 4, Rifle-terrace, Bayswater, and keep
aboarding-house. The deceased lady came to lodge at my
house on the 20th of September last. The prisoner and his
wife also lodged with us. We knew that he was a medical
man. His wife appeared to be much older than he. When
the prisoner had been a short time in my house, I noticed
what I considered to be improper familiarity between hire
and Miss Bankes, and I spoke to her on the subject, and she
left my house. She told the prisoner in mg.presence that I
had given her notice to leave, and she also mentioned the
reason. The prisoner said he was very sorry I had spoken
to Miss Bankes, and he also said that he should leave him-
self, as he was going on a visit. Miss Bankes left. on the
29th of November, and the prisoner on the 12th of December
.His wife remained behind

The prisoner came to visit his

wife once or twice after he left. Miss Bankes never had
good health. She always appeared to be delicate, but she
was in her usual health when she left. She constantly
complained of having a bad appetite.
Cross-examined : She would say that she felt nausea when

she attempted to take food, and that she was very bilious.
This was the principal thing she complained of. I used to
observe at dinner that 'she did not eat more than a baby.
I recollect that more than once she left the dinner table
through sickness. The wife of the prisoner is alive, but
she is not living with us now. She was ill occasionally in
our house, and the prisoner used to attend upon her, and

. -
he used to take her luncheon to her almost every day.
Every one in our establishment knew that Mr. and Mrs.
Smethurst were man and wife. Miss pankes, of course,
An arrangement was made that the pri-