The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-11 00:00:00

TIIE CRIMEAN SPECULATION.

At the Mansion-House, yesterday, after the transac-
tion of the ordinary business of the justice room, Alder-
man Wilson, who sat as locum tcnens for the Lord Mayor,
asked whether Mr. Wardroper, who bad attended on
Saturday, to answer a statement made by Mr. Aldridge,
with reference to the transmission of goods to the Cri-
mea, was present 1
An answer in the negative having been given by the
messenger of the court,
The Alderman desired to be informed whether Haydon,
the detective officer, had made the inquiries which the
first investigation was likely to suggest ?
Haydon said he had been strict in his inquiries, and
that he had received a list of the boxes, parcels, and
packages, of which Mr. Wardroper, according to his
clerk's account, had received notice had been sent to the
Docks, for the purpose of being shipped for the Crimea.
He had requested to be allowed to look at the letters
referring to the various goods which had been trans-
mitted, but the clerk said he did not consider himself
authorised to exhibit the letters, without the instruc-
tions of Mr. Parry, the barrister. There were several
parcels, which (as the reporter understood the officer)
were directed by Mr. Wardroper to be returned to the
parties who had sent them.
Mr. Aldridge said he had been waited upon, on Tues-
day, by a lady, who represented herself to be the wife of
Mr. Wardroper, and who stated that her husband had
been in a totally incapacitated and helpless condition
during the last seven years, and that she apprehended
he had fallen into hands from which it would be hard
to release hide without damage to himself. He sub-
sequently received a letter from the same lady, in
which it was stated, after a description of the weak-
ness by which Mr. Wardroper was afflicted, that he
had been made the instrument of other people's designs.
After some statements which it would not, in the
present stage of the investigation, be proper to give
to the public eye,
Hayden handed to the presiding alderman an ad-
vertisement, which was as follows :
" Managing Clerk, salary 250/. —A gentleman of
active business habits required to superintend the cor-
respondence, and other official dutiessein a mercantile
office, dining the absence of the principal going abroad.
A deposit of 8001. required, which will be amply
guaranteed. Direct to F. B. W., City News-office,
48, Leadenhall-street:"
To the advertisement was annexed a paragraph, to
the following effect :
"A_ reader of the Times noticing this advertisement
in this day's edition, and thinking it bears the appear-
ance of relationship to the extraordinary curious ones
brought under the investigation of Alderman Wilson
at the Mansion-house, begs to bring the same under
his attention.
" Carlisle Parade, Hastings, Jan. 8, 1855."
Alderman Wilson—Did you trace that advertisement
to any person ?
Haydon—l did, to Mr. Wardroper.
Alderman Wilson said he was satisfied that Mr.
Wardroper was the dupe of some designing persons,
who were endeavouring to make a profit by putting
his name forward in a speculation which must ulti-
mately result in disappointment.
Sir B. W. Carden would not suppose that Mr.Ward-
roper was entirely blameless upon the occasion under
whatever influence he might have acted. It was evident
that he had caused the advertisements to be inserted, and
that his vessel in which he was, although a miserable
invalid about to sail himself on the 13th or 14th of the
month, had not, by his own ac4tnowledgment, been
chartered on the 6th. It was also remarkable that he
was not present at the present moment according to the
understanding which existed between him and Alderman
Wilson. The publication of the matter had done good.
He had received the following letter from Nottingham
on the 9th inst., upon the subiect :
" Honoured Sir,—Having a son, a non-commissioned
officer, serving in the Crimea, mid wishing, in connexion
with other friends, to send a few necessary comforts to
him, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Advertiser
which led me to write to a Mr. Wardroper, who has in
reply forwarded to me the papers I now enclose. The
box would certainly have started off to-morrow had it
not been for the inquiry into this case, 'which, I believe,
you have mainly promoted, and which I read in yester-
day's Times.

" I beg to thank you for your most useful exertions in
this and many similar matters, which so deeply affect
the interests of the masses, less informed on these sub-
jects than ycurself.

"Sir Robert, I am your obliged, obedient servant,
" Sir R. W. Carden." "JOHN THOMPSON.
The papers alluded to were precisely similar to those
sent by Mr. Wardroper to Mr. Aldridge, but that which
inclosed a list of the charges was not signed " W.
Ward r0per.11,...

took place has already effected much good.
.n
Alder-man Wilson—No doubt the publication of what
Sir R. W. Caritlen said he could not help expressaiz
his surprise that Mr. Wardroper was not present,
il
ata magistratethe
r, thatc° quitep e nielz
thatugh had
gentleman'sb ee been
attendanceto justify
al"'"use, the question being one of immense vablic
importance.
Alderman Wilson said it was clear that there had been
quite enough stated to justify the application of Mr.
Aldridge, towhora he considered the community to be under
very great obligations.
the hands o
The case should still remain in
officers
ersef whichf th ewpeoulli
ace
w, the maonsdt
investigate
eignantde
iitnwteiltlhigtehnet
strictest care. atop
Mr. Aldridge said--In thanking your worship for the
complimentary remarks passed upon me for bringing
this extraordinary case before the public, in the doing of
which I feel I have only done that which is 'consistent
with the duty of every subject, allow Ipe to say that the
public are nob more indebted to me than to Alderman
Wilson, for the ready hearing of my statement, and for
the immediate assistance m bifting to. statement, and thAa