The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-29 00:00:00

DINNER TO MR. JUSTICE SHEE.

Yesterday the members of the Home Circuit as-
sembled in great force at the Albion Tavern, the
occasion being a complimentary dinner to their
senior, Mr. Sergeant Shee, in taken of their con-
gratulation on his having been elevated to the
bench. It may be interesting to know the exact
number of gentlemen who sat down to table, and we
accordingly give the figures with absolute precision.
There were in all 189 present ; and when it is re-
membered that considerably less than half that
aggregate has been accounted a handsome muster at
former circuit dinners, even when a similar honour
has been paid to a popular senior, the great esteem
in which Mr. Justice Shee is held by his legal
brethren appears beyond all question. The com-
pany was mainly formed of present members of the
Home Circuit ; but there were a few distinguished
personages among the guests whose connection with
the body was one of the past, such as Lord Chelms-
ford, Sir F. Kelly, Q.C., Mr. Baron Channell, Mr.
Justice Willes, and others. The chair was taken
by the senior, Mr. Montagu Chambers, Q.C., the
vice-president's post being occupied by the junior,
Mr. Grantham. In proposing the health of Mr.
Justice Shee,

The CHAIRMAN said the event was a triumph for
one and a triumph for all. He dwelt on those
qualities of their friend which, while they justified
his high appointment in the public mind, made it a
matter of deep regret with his brethren that they
should lose his society and constant example. Mr.
Chambers proceeded to speak with great warmth
of the generous character displayed at all times by
Mr. Sergeant Shee as an antagonist. He said it
was needless to call upon the assembly to pay the
utmost honour to the subject of the toast. The
tribute they were about to bestow had in some way
been anticipated, by the mere fact of their gathering
in such unprecedented strength. In conclusion, he
asked them to drink with glasses filled to the brim
the health of Mr. Justice Shee.
The toast was received with an enthusiasm which
is perfectly indescribable; and the deafening cheers
which greeted the object of all this hearty goodwill,
when he rose to respond, kept him for some time
from speaking a word.
Mr. Justice SHEE then said, with an emotion
which at first retarded his utterance, that he could
not deny having been taken by surprise. That he
should be kindly received and entertained by friends
of long standing was not to him very wonderful ;
but their exceeding cordiality, and the unanimous
spirit of approval in which his appointment had
been received by all parties—(loud cheers)—and by
all shades of thinkers—(renewed cheering)—touched
him deeply. lam proud (continued the learned
judge) of the country that can thus manifest its
liberality. lam proud of the people that, amid
strong feelings, has no feeling so strong as the feeling
of justice. His lordship then entered into reminis-
cences of his long connection—a connection extend-
ing over more than 30 years—with the Home Cir-
cuit. He said he had joined it when only 21 years
of age, at which time Lord Chelmsford was a junior.
He (Mr. Justice Shee) had seen a good many abler
men pass by him in a course which, to himself, had
been an exceedingly chequered one. Sometimes he
was up ; oftener down ; not Infrequently up again.
(Loud laughter and prolonged cheers.) He could
not help thinking that it was not only those who
got all the clients and ali the briefs who saw the best
of the profession. 1% hile puzzling their brains with
practice, they missed some of the enjoyment of the
circuit. For himself, he knew a little of both ; and
perhaps it was because of this, and because he had
found so much to love in the society of his brethren,
that he now felt the sadness of success. Ia conclu-
sion, Mr. Justice Shee expressed a hope that, in
thanking them sincerely for their kindness, he was
not altogether bidding them farewell.
The remaining toasts were—" The Judges," pro-
posed by the Chairman and acknowledged by Mr.
Justice Willes—" The Old Members of the Home
Circuit," to which toast Lord Chelmsford eloquently
replied—" The Home Circuit," proposed by Sir
Fitzroy Kelly, Q.C., and responded to by Mr.
Locke, Q.C.—and " The Senior," which final toast
was ably given by Mr. Baron Channeil, and feel-
ingly acknowledged by Mr. Montagu Chambers.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

The authorities of the Admiralty have anticipated the
recommendations made by Mr. Bessemer, in a letter which
recenttly appeared in The Sun, for the employment of
steel in our vessels of war. It appears that on the new iron
frigate Bellerophon being commenced at Chatham it was
decided by the Chief Constructor of the Navy to introduce
steel stringer plates, and steel in other forms in various
parts of that vessel. From the vast superiority of steel over
iron as a material for ships of war, there is little doubt that
it will form a principal material in all our vessels hereafter
to be constructed.

The Irresistible, 68, 2,652 tons, 400 horse power, fitting
for!commission, is being rigged by a party of 100 seamen,
who have been sent to her for that purpose from the Corn-
wallis, 62, 200 horse power, Capt. J. N, Strange. The
masts, yards, and gear for the Irresistible have been sent to
the Nore from Chatham dockyard.
The repairs to the Cadmus, 22, 400 horse power, at
Chatham, are likely to retain that vessel in dock some two
months longer, the alterations and repairs she is under-
going being very extensive. Extra cabins aro ordered to
be fitted on board for an additional lieutenant, and she is
also being fitted with a topgallant forecastle for the protec-
tion of her crew in inclement weather.
Considerable progress has been made with the Lord War-
den target, now under construction at Chatham Dockyard,
and it will shortly be ready for shipment to Shoeburyness,
where it is to be tested. The Lord IN arden target will differ
in several important particulars from those hitherto con-
structed, in order to develope, to the greatest possible ex-
tent, its shot-resisting powers. Unlike the Warrior and the
Bellerophon targets, recently experimented upon and par-
tially destroyed at Shoeburyness, which consisted of a back-
ing of teak timber exactly resembling the sides of an ordi-
nary vessel of war, and covered by the several kinds of
armour plates to be tested against the guns, the Lord
Warden target will be furnished with one inch and a
half thickness of iron on the outside of the wooden backing,
and it is exactly this extra thickness of iron which it is
thought will render the target as nearly as possible invul-
nerable to the ordinary kinds of guns which may be brought
against it. The experiments to be made with the target now
in progress are looked forward to with much interest, and
should the results at all come up to the anticipations al-
ready formed, the broadsides of the Lord Warden, the Lord
Clyde, and the other wooden iron plated frigates designed
by Mr. Reed will be constructed exactly on the same prin-
ciple. _

The hands employed on the two decker wooden line-of-
battle screw steamer Bombay, 2,752 tons, 400 horse power,
fitting in dry dock at Chatham, are using every exertion to
complete that vessel and have her out of hand, the dock
being required for one of the iron ships intended to be sent
to Chatham. There is still a month's work to be done on
board, chiefly in the way of erecting additional cabins and
offices for a flag officer's retinue and in the general fitment
and alterations required to be performed in a vessel about to
be despatched to a distant nation, There is little remaining
to be done aloft, the standing and other rigging being all in
its place, and with ordinary exertions the Bombay ought to
be completed by the time required by the Admiralty.
In consequence of the large number of boys and lads who
have recently been draughted from the training ship 'Wel-
lesley, 72, at Chatham, to various ships of war at the seve-
ral ports, there are now vacancies for boys and lads desirous
of entering the royal navy, on board the Wellesley. Under
the recent Admiralty regulations the age required for second
class boys entering the royal navy is 111 years to 16 years.
instead of from 14 years to 15 years, as hitherto. They are
also, under the same regulations, to be rated in the first
class, if found qualified, at 16 instead of 17, and sent to sea
immediately afterwards. All applications for entry on board
the 'Wellesley aro to be addressed to the officer in command
of that vessel, the qualifications required of candidates being

, --7
,/'

PRICE 4d.
STAMPED sd.

that they shall be of goof character and of fair average
education.

Yesterday some important experiments were carried out
at the Royal Victoria Victualling-yard, Deptford, by direc-
tion of the Admiralty, in the presence of the Controller of
the Navy, the Captain Superintendent of Deptford Dock-
yard, and other officers, for the purpose of testing a now
method, proposed by Dr. Morgan, for curing meat. Three
oxen were selected and killed in the usual manner, and im-
mediately afterwards the chest was cut open from the throat,
when Dr. Morgan infused a liquid into the heart. It ap-
peared to have passed through the entire system, for on
pieces of meat being cut off a few minutes afterwards they
were found to have been impregnated l'y the liquid. Whether
meat cured by this system will keep as long and remain as
good as that cured by the old process remains to be tested.
It is understood that a satisfactory report upon the experi-
ments thus made will be forwarded to the Admiralty.
The appointment of commanding Royal Engineer of the
Chatham district, vacant by the promotion of Col. J. Twies
to the rank of Major-Gen., has been conferred on Col. R.
Clement Moody, who is now in command of the exploring
party of Royal Engineers on service in British Columbia, in
which colony he is the Chief Commissioner of Lands and
Woods. The duties connected with the appointment of
commanding Royal Engineer are being carried out at Chat-
ham by Lieut,-Col. G. F. Mann, C. 8., who holds the tem-
porary rank until the arrival of Col. Moody from British
Columbia.