The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-22 00:00:00

THE 8U N, LONDON FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 22 1855

34th Foot-1 officer, 2 men, killed ; 1 man dangerously,
3 officers, 20 men, severely, 4 men slightly, wounded;
total wounded, officers 3, men 25.
19th Foot-1 officer, 1 man, severely wounded ; total
wounded, 1 officer, 1 man.
77th Foot-3 men dangerously, 1 officer, 3 men severely,
1 officer, -2 men, slightly, wounded; total wounded—offi-
cers, 2; men, 8.
88th Foot-1 officer, 7 men, dangerously, 2 officers, 27
men, severely, 1 officer, 12 men, slightly, wounded ; total
wounded, officers 4, men 46.
97th Foot-1 wan severely, 4 men slightly, wounded ;
total wounded, men 5.
Rifle Brigade-2 men slightly wounded ; total wounded,
men 2.

Total-6 officers, 25 men, killed. 6 officers, 58 men,
dangerously; 15 fficers, 191 men, severely ; 9 officers,
181 men, slightly, wounded :—Total wounded, 30 officers
and 433 men.

The casualties amongst the officers is incomplete in this
return, the names of those killed not being known when
the states were sent in.

JOHN HALL,
Inspector• General of Hospitals.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTERN.

A special general meeting of the proprietors of this
railway was held yesterday afternoon at the Bridge-house
Tavern, London-bridge, for the consideration and ap-
proval of a bill now before Parliament, for making a
railway from the Farnborough Extension of the West
London and Crystal Palace Railway to the North
Kent line of the South-Eastern Railway, and for other
purposes ; by which bill it is (amongst other things) in-
tended to sanction an agreement with the South Eastern
Railway Company for working the proposed line of
railway, and to enable that company and the company,
to be incorporated by the said bill to enter into other ar-
rangements with respect to such railway. For the pur-
pose of authorising the directors to borrow further sums
of money under the authority of and within the limits
prescribed by an act passed in the present session of Par-
liament ; and for confirming the appointment of Henry
Rich, Esq., M.P., John Anderson, Esq., and John
Cross, Esq., as directors of the company.
H. Rios, Esq., M.P., Chairman of the Company, in
the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said the purpose for which they had
met was with reference to the Mid Kent Railway Bill
now before Parliament, and the first resolution he should
submit to them had reference to an agreement made be-
tween the directors of this company and the promoters
of the above bill. After referring to the London and
South Eastern Company having presented a bill last year
to Parliament• for making a railway from Bromley to
Lewisham, but which was withdrawn, and the Crystal
Palace Extension line to Farnborough carried in its
stead—said the Mid Kent Company promoted their bill,
which went over nearly the same ground as that
of this company's bill of last year. With a view to meet
the exigencies of the case preparations were made by
this company to oppose that bill in Parliament, provided
no arrangement could be come to between the two com-
panies. The promoters of the Mid Kent Railway had
met this company in a fair spirit, and the terms on
which they had agreed were, that the Mid Kent Railway
Company should complete the line with stations .4t
for opening, and, on its approval by the Board of Trade,
to hand it over to the South-Eastern Company
for 'working. For the first - two years , the
Mid Kent Company were to maintain the permanent
way, after.which time it would devolve on the South-
Eastern Company. During the first two years the South-
Eastern Company were to receive 40 per cent. of the
gross traffic to cover the working expenses ; and after
that 50 per cent., or one-halt of the gross receipts. Ar-
rangements had been made to prevent, should any un-
pleasant feeling hereafter arise between the two com-
panies, any injury to the traffic of the Sorith-Eastern
Railway by the Mid Kent Company making any change
of fares on their running into this line. The cost of the
Mid Kent Line was estimated at 105,0001., and should
the profits on the line exceed 5/ per cent., the excess
would be divided equally between the two companies.
The agreement was for 10 years, renewable at the end
of that, period (by consent of the Board of Trade) for a
further period of 10 years, so that the agreement might
be considered to be.for 20 years. Considering the ad-
vantages the arrangements proposed would be to the
South-Eastern Company, he proposed a resolution,
pledging the meeting to effectually carry them out.
The Hon. Mr. BYNG seconded the resolution.
The SOLICITOR having read the heads of the Mid
Kent Railway Bill,
The meeting was addressed by Mr. M'Laren, Mr.
Dent, Mr. Smith, Mr. Herapath, Mr. Wilson, and
others.

The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said that nothing was more
fallacious than estimates of traffic. He thought the best
proof they could have of the value of a traffic in any
given direction was the finding persons ready to con-
struct such a railway. He declined pledging himself to
any amount of traffic being brought over this line. The
working expenses were estimated at 912/. per annum.
This company would be liable for rates and taxes during
the period they worked it, and as to the opinion of the
board on the agreement proposed he was able to state
it was unanimous. The Chairman then put the resolu-
tion, which was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN said the next question for the consider-
ation of the meeting was how to raise the money re-
quired for the completion of their works. On the 7th
September, 1854, a general statement was laid before
the shareholders of the outstanding debts of the com-
pany, which showed that the sum of 490,0001. would be
required for the above purpose, Authority was then given
by the shareholders to the directors, to apply for a bill
to raise 509,000/. in a manner least burthensome to the
revenue of the company. A bill was prepared accord-
ingly, which had since passed and received the Royal
assent, and the directors now came for powers to raise
the money they required. They considered the best
plan would be by debenture rather than the issue of
shares, because by the former they would be able to
obtain the money at 4 per cent, the company's credit
being so good. The actual amount required for the com-
pletion of the works was 333,64 C/. ; provision had been
made for 74,212/., leaving a deficit of 259,3811. The
directors therefore proposed to raise only 247,0001. on
debentures, for which sum they hoped to be able to
complete the works.
Mr. HERAPATH concurred in the views taken by the
directors that it was advisable to raise the money by de-
bentures. He was glad to hear the credit of the com-
pany was so good. Ile wished, however, they paid
larger dividends.
The resolution was then put to the meeting and adopted
unanimously, the feeling of the shareholders being in
favour of the policy pursued by the present board of
directors.

The election of the chairman, Mr. J. Anderson, and
Mr. J. Cross, as director, was unanimously confirmed.
The CHAIRMAN returned thanks to the meeting for this
mark of their approval of his conduct, and at the same
time informed them it would be more consonant with
his feelings and habits to retire from the position
of Chairman of the board. He then entered into the
past political relations of the company, and its future
prospects, assuring them that if they wished to succeed
they must boldly grapple with there difficulties, but that
could only be done by the directors being supported by
a large majority of the proprietors.
Thanks were voted to the chairman and acknowledged
by him, and the meeting separated.

TRANSMISSION OF STAMPED NEWSPAPERS
TO BRIT 'Sri COLONIES AND FOREIGN
COUNTRIES.

General Post-office, June, 1855.

On and from the 30th instant, the period allowed for
posting newspapers intended for transmission by post be-
yond the limits of the United Kingdom, will be extended
from 7 to 15 days after the date of publication ; but, be-
fore any newspapers can be so forwarded, it is requisite
that the proprietor, or printer, shall have registered it at
the General Post-office, London, for transmission abroad.
The following table shows the rates of postage which
will be chargeable in this country, on and from the
same date, upon newspapers sent beyond the limits of
the United Kingdom, These rates must in all cases be
prepaid, otherwise the newspapers cannot be sent.

TABLE OF RATES.

Africa (West Coast) 1d
Algeira Free
Australia, South
Australia, Western
Austrian dominions,
via France
Austrian dominions,
via Belgium ...... Free
Azores id
Baltic, H.M. Fleet in ld
Baden, via France id
Baden, via Belgium
Bavaria, via France .„ id
Bavaria, via Belgium Free
Belgium
Belgium, via France
Belgrade, via Belgium Free
Belgrade, via France id
Belize, Honduras
Bermuda id
Black Sea, H. M. Fleet in 2d
Black Sea Fleet, by
transports
British Guiana
Bolivia id
Brazil
Bremen, via France .„ id
Bremen, via Belgium Free
Brunswick, via Franco id '
Brunswick,viaßelgium Free
Buenos Ayres id
California, via Chagres 2d
California, via U. States 2d
Canada, via do. 2d
Canada, via Canadian

Modena, via Belgium Free
Moldavia, via France 11
Moldavia, via Belgium Free
Monte Video ld
Naples, via Belgium Free
Naples, via France
Naples, by French Me-

ditOriatiean Packet 2d
Nassau, via Belgium Froo
Nassau, via France LI
New Brunswick, via
United States 2d

New _ Brunswick, via

Halifax
Newfoundland .....
New Granada Free
New South Wale 3 ld
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia, via _

United States 2d
Oldenburg, via France ld
Oldenburg, viaßalgium Free
Oregon, via Chagreg
Oregon, via United

States
Papal States,

2d

France ld
Papal States, by French _ _

lilediterraileinPacket2cl
Parma,' via France._ ld
Parma, via Belgium ... Free
Peru Free

Poland, via France lcl
Poland, via Belgium Free
Placentia, via France I d
Placentia, via Belgium 'Free
Port no-al • ld

Pack©t hi
Canary Islands
Cape de Terds ld
Ceylon, via Marseilles al
Ceylon, via S'hamptcn id
Chili hi
China, via S'hampton 1(1
China, via Marseilles 3d
Countries beyond Sea,
via France
Cuba id
Cuba, via United States 2a
enracoa
E. Indies, via iNlarseilles
E.lndi es,viaS'ha.mptorm 1 d
Ecuador
Egypt, via Marseilles 3 1
Egypt, via S'hampton Id
Egypt, by French Me-
d iterranean Packet
Falkland Islands
France Free
Frankfort, via France Id
Frankfort, via Belgium Free
Gibraltar ld
Gibraltar, via France 2d
Greece, via France and
Austria
Greece, by French Me- _ _

Portual, via France... 2d
Princo Edward Island, _

via Halifax id
Prince Ed ward Island,
via United States
Prussia, via Belgium Free
Prussia, via France
Reuss, via France ld
Reuss, via Belgium
Russia, via France id
Russia, via Belgium
St. Thomas id

Sandwich Islands, via

California
Sardinia, via France id
Sardinia, by French

MediteiranjanPacket 21.
Saxe Altenburgb, via

France — ld
Saxe Altenburgh, via _

Belgium .., .
Saxe Coburg Gotha,

Free

_
via France- 1(1
Saxe Coburg Gotha, _

via Belgium
Saxe Meiningen, via
France ll
Saxo Meiningen, via '
Belgium
Saxe Weimar, via

diteira;ean Packet 241
Greece, via Belgium,
per oz.
Greytown
Hamburgb, via France id
Hamburgh, via Bel-
gium Free
Hanover, via France la
Hanover, via Belgium Free
Hesse, via France la
Hesse,, via Belgium Free

France 1(1
Saxe Weimar, via _

Belgium
Saxony, via France
Saxony, via Belgium Free
SchaumburgLippe, via
France
Schaumburg Lippe, via
Belgium

Holland
Holland, via France
Hong Kong, via Mar-
seilles
Hong Kong, via South-

Sch-wartzburg Rudol-
stadt, via France ... ld
Schwartzburg Rudol-
stadt, via Belgium... Free
Schwartzburg Sander.
hausen, via France Id
Schwartzburg Sunder-
hausen, via Belgium Free
Scutari, via France... ld
Scutari, by French Me- _ _

ampton
lonian Islands, via
Belgium, pet k oz licl
lonian Islands,via Mar-
seilles
lonian Islands, via
France id
lonian Islands, via _

diterranoan Packet 2a
Sicily, via France ld
Sicily, by French Me-
diterranean Packet 2(l
Sicily, via Belgium Free
Sierra Leone
Spain,viaSouthamptou
Spain, via France 2a
Switzerland,viaFrance ld
Switzerland, via Bel-

Southampton .... id
Java, via Holland 2d
Java, via Marseilles
Java, via Southampton ld
Lippe Detmold, via

France
Lippe Detmold, via
Belgium
Lubeck, via France
Lubeck, via Belgium Free
Madeira
Majorca
Malta, via Marseilles 3d
Malta, via Southamp-
ton
Malta, by French Mc-

gium Free
Syria, by French Medi-
terranean Packet
Tunis
Turkey, by direct

Packet ld
Turkey* via Belgium ld
Turkey, via France ld
Turkey, by French Me-
diterranoan Packet
Tuscany, via France ld
Tuscany, via Belgium Free
Tuscany, by French Me-
diterranen Packet 2(l
United States ... id

clitex-ra-neau Packet 2d
➢Sauritius, via Mar-
seilles
Mauritius, via South•
ampton
MecklenburghStrelitz, _ _

via France ld
Mecklenburgh Strelitz,
via Belgium
Mecklenburgh Schwe-
rin, via France ld
Mecklenburgh Schwe-
rin, via Belgium,
Mediterranean, via _ _

Vin Diemen's Land ... id

Venezuela
Victoria .

Wallachia, via France ld
Wallachia, via Belgium Free
West Indies, British... I.d
West Indies, Foreign id
Western Coast of South '

Marseilles
Mediterranean, via
Southampton ld
Mediterranean, by
French Mediterra-
nean Packet
Mexico id
Mexico, via United
Statos 2d
Minorca
Modena, via France ld
* On newspapers forwards] to the following places
in Turkey, &c., via Belgium and Prussia, a foreign rate
of postage of one penny halfpenny per half-ounce must
be paid instead of a rate of one penny per paper, viz :
Beyrout Ibraili Samsoun
Botuschany Jassy Seres
Bucharest Larnaca Smyrna
Canea Mytelene Tenedos
Constantinople Mostar Tchesme
Dardanelles Rhodes Trebi zond
Galatz Rustchuk Tultcha
Gallipoli Salonica Varna
On newspapers forwarded to any of the above places
by private ship a postage of one penny each must be
paid in advance, except in the case of newspapers for the
British squadron in the White Sea, fcrwarded by pri-
vate ship to Christiania, upon which twopence must be
paid.
Newspapers intended for transmission abroad must
be posted in conformity with the regulations which ap-
ply to newspapers transmitted within the United King-
dom (Instructions No. 44, 1855), otherwise they cannot
be forwarded.

America (Peru ex-
cepted) ld
WurtemburgviaFrance id
Wurtemburg, via Bel-

gium
White Sea, H.M. Fleet _ _

White Sea Fleet, via

Christiania

2d

It is suggested that every newspaper registered at the
General Post-office for transmission abroad should have
a notice to that effect conspicuously printed upon it.
ROWLAND HILL, Secretary.

TRANSMISSION OF PERIODICAL PUB-
LICATIONS BY POST fYITIIIN TIIE
UNITED KINGDOM.

The following Post-office notice hal been issued :
" General Post Office, June, 1855.

" On and from the 30th inst. all periodical publica-
tions, including newspapers, which shall be published in
the United Kingdom at intervals not exceeding 31 days,
and which shall bear a stamp or stamps denoting the
stamp duty, of the kind hitherto confined shiefly to news-
papers, may be transmitted and re-transmitted through
the post within the United Kingdom free from postage,
under the following regulations, viz.:—
" 1. They will be subject to the same restrictions, with
regard to the number of sheets and superficial extent, as
are now applicable to newspapers properly so caned.
These restrictions are shown in the following table :
Amount of Stamps Maximum Number Maximum enperS-
impressed on the of sheets. cial extent of
Publication. Latter-press on
one side.
Ono penny Two
Three-halfpence .., Three
Twopence Four 4591 „
" No publication, or portion thereof, will be allowed
to pass through the post unless it bear at least a stamp
of the value of One penny.
"2. The title and date of the publication must be
printed at the top of every page.
" 3. The publication must be folded in such a manner
that the whole of the stamp or stamps denoting the full
duty shall be exposed to view, and be distinctly visib:e
on the outside.

"4. It must not be printed on pasteboard or card•
board, or on two or more thicknesses of paper pasted
together, nor must any pasteboard, cardboard, or such
pasted paper be sent with it as a back or cover thereto
or otherwise,
" 5. It must he posted within 15 days from the date
of publication.
" G. It must either have no cover or a cover open at
the ends.

-••,..•
" 7. It must contain no enclosure.
" 8. It must have no writing or other mark thereon,
but the name and address of the person to whom it is
sent, nor anything on the cover but such name and
ad-
dress, the printed title of the publication, and printed
name and address of the publisher or vendor who
sends it.
" 9. If the publication be addressed to any person
within the free delivery of the place where it is posted,
it will be liable to a postage of one penny, which must
be prepaid by affixing a postage stamp.
" The free delivery of London, so far as applies to
this rule, extends to such places only as are within three
miles of the General Post office.
" 10. If any of the above regulations are disregarded,
the publication will be detained for examination till the
next mail.
" If it is four.d that the irregularity coni,t4 merely
in not folding the paper so as to expose the stamp or
stamps, a postage of one penny will be charged in
addition to any other postage to which the publication,
if properly folded, would have been liable. In case of

any other irregularity the publication will be dealt with
in accordance with the regulations applicable to the book
post.
" 11. It is suggested that every publication should
have a notice to purchasers conspicuously printed, point-
ing out the me( essity of exposing the stamp or stamps
to view, wherever the publication is sent through the
post.
" 12. Un-tamped publications, or stamped publica-
tions whirr have been issued more than fifteen days,
can be warded within the United Kingdom and to
most c the colonies under the regulations of the book
post
" .3. Newspapers and other periodicals published in
the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and
the Isle of Man, will be subject to the same regulations
as those which are published in other parts of the United
Kingdom.
" 14. The regulations under which stamped news-
papers may be sent through the post to foreign coun-
tries and British colonies will form the subject of a
separate notice."
ROWLAND HILL, Secretary.

MR. iIENRY DRUMMON D AND THE
MIDDLE CLASSES.

Mr. Henry Drummond is the spoiled child of the
House of Commons ; and it is not very creditable to the
taste of the house that it spoils such a bantling by ap-
plauding his impertinences. What with his religious
mysticism and his buffoonery, Mr. Drummond might be
imagined to be the issue of a marriage contracted by the
late Jack Reeve and Johanna South cote; while the gusto
with which he retails scandalous gossip would seem to
indicate that he is a lineal descendant of the Mr. Tattle
of Congreve's "Love for Love." On Monday evening
Mr. Drummond, with his usual lack of logic, defended
the monopoly of office possessed by the oligarchy and its
retainers on the ground of some frauds detected a year
or two ago among the venders of coffee and other groce-
ries. Because some tradesmen were proved to have
adulterated the commodities they sold, he assumed that
the whole of our middle classes, "from being a nation
of shopkeepers, have become a nation of rogues ;" and
went on to infer that nono of them could be trusted with
the management of public business. Were we as dis-
posed to indulge in inconsequential exaggerations as
Mr. Drummond, it would be easy to retaliate and charge
the whole of the oligarchy with the faults of the hon.
member for Rochester and others of his, class ; but we
quarrel with oligarchical exclu,iveness not because of
the questionable morality of some 'of the class. We op-
pose it, because by limiting the range of selection of pub-
lic servants, it prevents the nation from availing itself
of the aggregate of national talent in the management
of public business.

Mr. Drummond's sweeping attack on the middle
classes for dishonesty is not, however, entirely destitute
of a plausible foundation. Recent occt.rrences would
seem to show, not indeed that we have become a nation
of rogues, but that the irreproachable integrity which
was supposed to be characteristic of our mercantile
classes, and which—as the source of their credit in all
the markets of the world—has been the m tin cause of
our national prosperity, is becoming lowered in its tone.
The systematic adulteration of food and drinks to which
Mr. Drummond alluded is not confined to the small
traders of the suburbs, but is brought home to some
who, in virtue of their wealth, maintain an influen-
tial position in the community. Nor can it be said
that their reception in general society has been
in the least affected by the exposure they have under-
gone. It is not our practice to prejudge legal in-
qu'ries by pronouncing an opinion on cases about to
undergo a scrutiny in courts of law ; we, therefore,
abstain at present from comment on the recent bank
failure. For the same reason the only remark wb now
offer on the awkward stories about forged dock war-
rants, which have recently been obtruded on public at-
tention, is that we hope the unaccountable scruples of
the City Solicitor, as to instituting legal proceedings
regarding them, may be got over. In the interest of
public morals it is necessary that the subject should be
thoroughly probed. But 'while we abstain from pro-
nouncing an opinion on any personal accusation at the
present stage of the investigation, we are entitled to say
it is with deep regret we find it admitted that indivi-
duals who have had forged dock warrants placed in
their hands as securities, have compromised and hushed
up the matter on a prospect being held out to them of
recovering the money advanced. If any cabman de-
tected in uttering a bad half-crown were to allege that
indeed he know it to be bad, but that having taken it
unawares, he thought to save himself from loss by pas-
sing it off upon. a customer, would any magistrate listen
to his plea ? 'Now, we confess that the person who
allows the forger of a dock warrant to escape, on ob-
tair.ing indemnity, appears to us to differ from our sup-
posititious cabman only on account of the greater magni-
tude and mischief of the fraud at which he connives.
And it is with regret that we hear such a practice so
frequently spoken of in an apologetic tone as pardonable
in men threatened with extensive losses. What is that
probity worth that is not proof against the progpect of
loss ? And how long will that credit which is the ani-
mating principle of English industrial enterprise—the
main-spring of our national greatness, survive if such a
lax code of morality is allowed to prevail ?
The penal laws are more especially of use to
deter the weak and wavering of the respectable classes
from lapsing into crime. The bulk of the offenders who
figure in our courts of justice belong unfortunately to a
class who have been trained to violate the laws—with
whom crime is a profession. They embrace it with a
full knowledge of the risks they incur, as a soldier enlists
with a knowledge that he may any day be called upon to
confront inevitable death. For them the penalties of
the law are almost entirely stripped of their terrors, and
habitual guilt has in many cases paralysed their moral
will. To guard society against these banded enemies,
who lurk within its confines, something else than mere
penal law is required ; something which the best heads
and hearts of the civilised world have for more .than a
century been labouring to discover or invent—hitherto,
alas, with very indifferent success. But upon those
whose moral natufe is not entirely corrupted, we may
reasonably hope that punishment will exercise a refor-
mative influence, and that the example of their chastise-
ment will deter many weak and wavering as themselves
from yielding to temptation as they have dents It is
mistaken mercy—it is treason to society—to shield de-
linquents of previously respectable standing, out of pity
for their fall, or regard for the feelings of their con-
nexions. Such tampering with the law promotes lax moral
opinions and practice. It has justly been remarked by
Montesquieu that in absolute monarchy what is called
the principle of honour may to a great extent serve as a
substitute for virtue, but sound and severe moral princi-
ples are indispensable in a popular government. When
a free people, he maintains, become more corrupt than
their government, their downfall as a nation is near at
hand. There are symptoms at this moment among our-
selves which indicate that no time is to be lost in avert-
ing a dangerous lapse from a high and severe tone of mo-
rality among our industrial classes—that is, among the
great bulk of the community.--Dally News.

THE BANKRUPTCY OF STRAHAN CO.

Talk of Robin Hood and Little John in Sherwood
Forest, of Rob Roy in the Highlands, and of their dingy
imitators• in the metropolis described by Dickens and
Ainsworth, we believe there to be a perpetual succession
of the class. Perhaps the same man passes from one
form into another—developing, according to the changes
of society, from a forester to-a mountaineer, thence to a
highwayman, thence to an instructor of pickpockets and
receiver of their day's work in St. Giles's. The last
stage before us is very splendid.--a gilded butterfly com-
pared with the shabby chrysalis and the worm. Only
think of, a select society of gentlemen, high in the
fashionable, and even the religious world, living in mag-
• nificent style for years and years on the• dep sits. of a
number of confiding, and even admiring, noblemen and
gentlemen. They have bad good houses, costly furni-
ture, splendid establishments, sumptuous entertainments,
and the best of company to the very last, with the full
consciousness that they were doing it all out of the
money of some score, or rather some hundreds, of
people who felt it an honour to put their money into the
hands of such men. The aristocratic adventurers of the
Captain Macheath school, who would never stop any-
thing less than a gentleman, were net so nice in their
ideas or so select in the class of their victims. Howthe
gay coterie must have laughed in theii private meetings
at the Earl of This or the Marquis of That, and the
Acores of Right Honourablei;- and the substantial coun-
try gentleman, and the excellent gentlewoman, and the
religious societies, and the respectable of every rank,
who were throwing their money into the till, never to
see it again ! Is there no Gil Blas to write an ac-
count of this bandits' cave. The clergy, who are
always imitators of what is good and great, and
have an instinct in favour of the substantial and abid-
ing, have thrown the savings of their rectories into the
bank. Almost anybody who happened, by the sale of a
property or the death of a relative, to be burdened with
an odd fifty thousand pounds be did not know what to
do with, felt immensely obliged to those kind gentle-
men, Messrs. Strahan, Paul, and Bates for relieving
him of the troublesome charge. Why, it is the merest
chance in the world they have not gone on indefinitely,
right into the next century ; for there are all 'sorts of
stories afloat of people who were on the point of putting
another twenty thousand or seventy thousand into the
bank. They have beLl so long in the business, and al-
ways so respectable. People remembered them when
they were cricketers, and all that sort of thing, and,
though less able latterly to bat and to bowl, no doubt
they were becoming more and more substantial every
year—nobody knew how rich. All the time the whole
firm was not collectively worth as much as the crossing-
sweeper opposite their door ; and they knew it. As they
walked out of their Bank arm in arm, they knew that
he was worth all of them put together.
People who have been balancing themselves long on a
narrow ledge between splendour. and bankruptcy get
rather unscrupulous. It cannot matter what you do
with a man's money when you are really living upon it.
It would only be an idle superstition to respect the
form when you are devouring the substance. So, not
only common deposits, but securities—viz., Dutch
,guilders, Danish bonds, Italian railway shares, and every
form of paper in which prudent clergymen and judi-
cious capitalists could invest their savings, have passed
into the strong room of 217, 218, Strand, to pass'out of
it nobody knows where. There is much virtue in lock
and key. There may be everything under it, there may
be nothing ; and at the aforesaid number in the Strand
the latter seems to have been the case. We suppose
there was an unusual influx of wealth in the last week
—;'sort of flickering in the socket. The partners found,
a good round sum in the till. So they wrote
to their particular friends, to certain favoured deposi-
tors, to give them a hint ; and when some three-fourths
or so had been sacrificed to friendship, or perhaps
.to
make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, they
left the remainder to the public, just as the genteel high-

wayman of the old school used to present his victim with
a guinea out of his own purse, for luck, to carry him to
the next town. Really the thing has been done in such
grand style, and it is of so little importance whether it
is Sir John Smith or Sir Robert Jones who gives a good
dinner, that we could almost admire the brilliancy of
the fraud. But, unfortunately, as usual, there is a
crowd of little as well as great depositnrs. Widows
and orphans, and wards, and small people of all sorts,
compose the bulk of the sufferers. It is said a good deal•
of the prize money due to our poor sailors has gone to
bolster up the credit and the hospitalities of the firm,
and, among others, the widow of Admiral Boxer has
lost his savings. Is it possible to exaggerate the crime
of such a career? What is it to rob, ay, t 3 rob and
murder half-a-dozen people, put them out of pain at once,
and dispose 'of their bodies where nobody will know
anything about them, compared with the act of scatter-
ing ruin over hundreds of quiet, respectable, and.
virtuous households, the scene of sacred economy,
and the sweet charities of domestic life ? How
many girls will go portionless ! how many young ladies
become governesses ! how many young men go to Aus-
tralia, or behind 'counters, instead of to College or the
Guards, in consequence of this bankruptcy ! How many
hearts will be broken, how many constitutions under-
mined by trudging and drudging, that have hitherto
known nothing worse than a headache after an evening
party or the shaking of an ill-hung carriage ? What do
the perpetrators deserve, could we really deal out
penalties in proportion to the real malignancy of the
crime I Unfortunately, this is not the only blot, the
only' scandal, lately betrayed in high commercial quar-
ters. Absit omen. We trust we are on the eve of no
greater mishap than the ruin of a few hundred families.
—limes. •

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCP.

The Canterbury and Chapman sailing transports em-
barked at Portsmouth dockyard yesterday morning the
Oxford Regiment of embodied Militia for Corfu. The
embarkation was superintended by Major-General Bre-
ton, Assistant Quartermaster-General Dalgettr, Lieu-
tenant Parks, Admiralty Superintendent of Transports,
&c., and, was accomplished in an admirable manner.
The following, was the division of the troops in the two
ships :—The Chapman conveyed Lieutenant-Colonel
Pane, Captains Lambert and Dewar, Lieutenants Eden,
Cole, Crawley, Constable, and Gifford, Ensigns Bulk( -
ler, Clarke, and Aston, Adjutant Cuming, Surgeon
Hansard, 21 sergeants. 8 drummers, and'3o4 rank and
file, 23 women, and 15 children. The Canterbury con-
veyed Major Storer' Captains Matthews, Turville, and
the Hon. A. S. A. Annesley, Lieut. Harrison, Ensigns
Garston, Moore, and Severne, Assistant-Surgeon Watts,
Quartermaster Ralph, 13 sergeants, 3 drummers, 237
rank and file, 29 women, and 21 children. The fol-
lowing officers are left behind with the depot :
Colonel Bowles, Captains Williams and Holloway,
Lieutenants Raitt (Acting-Adjutant) and Harrison, and
Ensign Brown. Captain Barrington is on leave till the
30th of August, and will join at Corfu. On the embar
kation of the Oxford Militia the following changes of
quarters of the garrison of PortsmoUth ;:ake place :
Her Majesty's 80th Foot move into the Anglesey Bar-
racks, Portsea ; the Glocester and South Lincoln Regi-
ments move into the Clarence Barracks, Portsmouth ; by
which arrangement the small barracks called Fore-house
will be set apart exclusively for the reception of the sick
and wounded arriving from the Crimes, who are to be
in future disposed of at Portsmouth and Chichester, in-
stead of being rent to Chatham Invalid Depot. The
Chapman and Canterbury sailed out of Portsmouth har-
bour direct for their destination between 3 nd 4 o'clock
yesterday afternoon, and made good their offing before
sunset. The troops were enthusiastically cheered on
their way by the soldiery and inhabitants of the garrison.
Rear-Admiral Freemantle, the successor to the late
Rear-Admiral Boxer as Superintendent-in-Chief of Trans-
port Service in the East, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday
to hoist his flag. The Perseverance steam-transport left
Spithead at Sunrise yesterday morning for the East. The
sailing transport Julia was measured and surveyed on
Wednesday evening at Cowes by Lieut. Perks, R.N.,
and she was towed to Portsmouth harbour yesterday to
await embarkation orders. The Camperdown old tires-
decker,lo4, used as a berthing hulk for the crews of ship;
fitting out or refitting in Portsmouth harbour, was towed
thence to the Motherbank yesterday afternoon by the
port tugs, and moored there for the accommodation of
the crew of her Majesty's gunnery-instruction ship Ex-
cellent, while she is fumigated, &c., having some infec-
tious fever on board. The Mary Davidson sailed from
Spithead last night for the Black Sea, laden with vic-
tualling stores for the depots there, shipped at the Royal
Clarence-yard, Gosport. The Myrmidon, 4, Lieutenant-
Commander Maunsell, fitting out at Portsmouth for the
Coast of Africa station, will be undocked this morning.
Mr. G. H. L. Wise, paymaster of her Majesty's ship
Cossack, left Dantsic on the morning of the 18th of June
with despatches from Vice-Admiral Dundas, off Cron-
stadt, and delivered them on Wednesday evening at the
Admiralty. The fleet was to move down the Gulf on
I the 14th.

The following appointments bad been made, conse-
quent on the late melancholy occurrence at Hango :
Mate G. Key to be acting lieutenant, vice Geneste,
and appointed to the Cossack, hut exchanged immedi-
ately with Lieutenant his Serene Highness Prince Ernest
of Leiningen, who is now third,of the Cossack.
Assistant• Surgeon G. Duncan, M.D., of the Duke of
Wellington, to be acting-surgeon of the Cossack, vice
Easton.
The following appointments were made yesterday at
the Admiralty :
Commander Charles Richardson Johnson, to command
the Transit ; Commander J. Murray, to the Coastguard,
vice Johnson ; James G. G. Simmons, Paymasterlo the
Transit ; James H. Wallis, Assistant Clerk to the
Transit.

Sir Charles Wood held a levee yesterday at the Admi-
ralty.
Orders have reached Sheerness to prepare for receiv-
ing the Transit iron screw ste4m-storeship from Wool-
wich. She is to be got ready for sea with all possible
despatch.
The mortar vessel Sinbad, having received consider-
able damage at sea, has been taken to Sheerness in pilot
charge.
The Calcutta, 84 guns, Captain James J. Stopford,
has landed a number of her carronades to make room
for a further supply of ammunition. shell, shot, provi-
sions, &0., for the fleet.
Draugts of the Scots Greys and Bth (Royal Irish)
Hussars embarked on Wednesday morning at Kings-
town, en board the Assistance transpor', to join their
respective corps in the Crimea.

The North-wall, Dublin, presented on Wednesday a
scene of unusual excitement as the Ariel steamer arrived
at 12 o'clock, having on board 75 rank and file and 10
officers of the 42d Highlanders, also a detachment of the
79th Hizhland Regiment, comprising 80 men and two
officers. The same steamer also brought a detachment of
the 33d Highlanders, comprising 60 med and eight officers.
These fine troops were formed into line on the quay,
after disembarking, amid a scene of bustle and excite-
ment which increased as the gallant fellows formed in
column and marched along the quays towards their
quarters at the Royal Barracks.
A detachment of troops, comprising 207 rank and file
of the 72d Regiment, proceeded from Dublin on Wed-
nesday to Kingstown, and embarked on board the screw
steamship Assistance. After the troops had embarked
the ship was hauled off to her Moorings, where she was
to remain until orders had been given for her sailing
direct frr the Crimea.

In addition to the regiments of the Line and Militia
under orders to embark for the fortresses in the Mediter
ranean, it is intended to increase the reserve companies
of the Household Brigade and Line regiments serving in
the Crimea, which are stationed as depots in the lonian
Islands and Malta. The reserve of the Guards will be
increased by 500, and those of the Line regiments by 80
bayonets, and it is stated that a third battlion is to be
raised and attached to theslst Royal Regiment of Foot.