The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-13 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

(Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Chief Justice Earle and a
Common Jury.)
:THOMPSON V. KING.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, Mr. George
Thompson, formerly M.P. for the Tower Hamlets, and one
of the candidates at the last election for Southampton,
against the defendant, the publisher and proprietor of the
Hampshire Advertiser, for a libel inserted in that news-
paper during the course of the election at Southampton, im-
puting to the plaintiff that he was the hired advocate of
Captain Mangles.
Mr. Sergeant Parry and Mr. Beasley were counsel for
the plaintiff; Mr. Sergeant Shee and Mr. Archibald for the
defendant.

Mr. Sergeant Parry having opened the case for the
plaintiff, called
Mr. George Thompson, who said—l have for many
years been engaged in public questions of the day. I for-
merly represented the Tower Hamlets in Parliament. In
1842 I went with Mr. Cobden and others to Southampton
to deliver addresses upon the repeal of the corn laws, by
which I became well acquainted with the borough, and re-
ceived a testimonial. In 1842 I was asked to contest the
borough and became a candidate wirh Lord Nugent. I was
beaten by a small majority. About this time I went to the
United States, and also visited India. I returned from
India in 1858. I was a candidate in last November for
Southampton. I was invited to go down on the Bth of
November, as representing the ‘interests of the United
Kingdom Alliance, of which lam a vice-president. Mr.
Harper Twelvetrees was first asked to stand, but was un-
able to do so. My expenses were to be guaranteed. I went
down on the 10th, in company with Mr. Homer and Mr.
Twelvetrees, and addressed a meeting, and then issued a
printed address on the following morning. A committee
was formed of Southampton gentlemen. I found my friends
very doubtful as to my chances of success, in consequent-
of a coalition of the Liberal party. I told my committee
that if they wished me to fight the battle, I would fight it ;
if they wished me to withdraw, I would withdraw ; and I
suggested that a deputation should wait upon Captain
Mangles, and sec if he would support the Permissive Bill
in Parliament, in which event I would retire in his favour.
It was agreed that I sh .uld be thanked for resigning; se-
condly, that Captain Mangles would support the Permis-
sive Bill; and, thirdly, that Captain Mangles would, with
the consent of his committee, pay all the expenses to which
my committee were put. I then said that, being desirous of
obtaining the Liberal success, I offered to address the elec.
tors, which was more necessary as I was the only candidate
in the field who could obtain a hearing. I then crossed to
the Isle of Wight to rest myself, and returnedlto Portsmouth
on Friday morning, when I delivered my first address, and
again addressed the electors in the evening. I never myself
had any personal interview with Capt. Mangles or his com-
mittee. I never received one farthing from Capt. Mangles
or his committee for those services. In the course
of my address I referred to the Lord Mayor, and said he
would do excellently well when reviewing a body of feather-
bed soldiers. Some hisses followed, and I stated that I had
no disrespect to the Volunteers, who would themselves
acknowledge there was great difference between them and
the men who had gone through the wars in the Crimea and
in India. After the publication of the first article I wrote
to the editor, but it was not inserted in the defendant's
newspaper, but the second article complained of was pub-
lished in the following week.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee—When not in
Parliament I have been a lecturer upon the principles I
advocated, but not for remuneration, but I have received a
stipulated pecuniary acknowledgment. Captain Mangles
was a supporter of principles similar to my own. I was
under no engagement to fight a hopeless battle. I thought
it hopeful from the beginning. I met my committee at the
Flowers Hotel. Mr. Homer was agent to my election ex-
penses. I discussed the chances of my success, and there
was a great diversity of opinion among the committee. We
were of opinion that if both the Liberal candidates stood we
must both go to the wall. It came to ray knowledge that an
expense had been incurred of about £lOO. Mr. Horner had
a general authority to act for me. At the meeting at the
Flowers it was proposed that a deputation should wait upon
Capt. Mangles. I let them go without objecting. Nothing
was said about the terms to be proposed to him, in n..y pre.
sence. The agreement about the Permissive Bill was that
we should vote for the first reading. That is the explana-
tion put upon it by those making the pledge. (Laughter.)
I sought no explanation from Capt. Mangles as to what he
meant. I was not so impertinent. The deputation went,
and with it Mr. Horner. I was in the room when they re-
turned. They told me that they had seen Capt. Mangles,
and that he was willing to pay 100 guineas for the expenses of
the committee. I was at the Flowers Hotel on the following
Tuesday. I did not say that,if Mr. Tucker didn't agree to my
terms, I would be at the dockyard gates at a quarter to one,
to address the workmen on my own behalf as they came
out—as you put the question. I deny I used those words,
or words to that effect. The words "my terms" never Fame
out of my lips. I told Budden that Clark and Homer had
gone to see Tucker. They knew what he had gone for.
I knew of the terms proposed to Mangles at that time. I
said I believed I could carry the election, and drive Captain
Mangles from the field ; and that if they didn't agree to the
terms of my committee I should consider myself absolved.
On the evening of Tuesday the committee met again, and I
was present. Mr. Homer was there. I will undertake to
say that I neither saw nor beard of a cheque on that occa-
sion. I had heard that an account had been made out for
Lll7, and that some members had demurred to give a larger
sum than that which was first asked, 100 guineas. I have
never had to pay any bills, nor, as far as I know, has the
United Kingdom Alliance. It was not said on the Tuesday
that when Captain Mangles objected to go beyond the ori-
ginal sum mentioned, the deputation had said that if Cap-
tain Mangles would go as far as £ll7, I would address the
electors twice. This is the first time I ever heard it hinted.
The contest between Mangles and Rose was very severe. I
said at the meeting I was not there to advocate the cause of
any particular person, but I spoke my mind very freely and
not very sparingly of the Lord Mayor.
Re-examined—l never authorised any one to offer to
Captain Mangles that if he would pay the election ex-
penses I would address the electors ; and if such an offer
had been made I should, on that account, have declined
to address them. I believe that if I had remained the
single candidate instead of Captain Mangles I should have
succeeded.

Mr. Horner, secretary of the United Kingdom Alliance,
was next called to corroborate the evidence of the plaintiff,
and stated that the only condition insisted upon by Mr,
Thompson was that Captain Mangles should vote for the
Permissive Bill. The balance over the hundred guineas
was paid by Mr. Harper Twelvetrees.
Several other gentlemen were called to give evidence in
corroboration of Mr. Thompson, but added nothing beyond
what is contained in plaintiff's evidence.
Mr. Sergeant Shee having intimated that it was not his
intention to call witnesses, the learned counsel having Ad-

dressed the jury for their respective clients, and his lord-
ship having carefully summed up the evidence,
The jury found their verdict for the plaintiff; damages
£l6O,

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—Last night Mr. Roebuck addressed the
House of Commons in very intemperate language
on the removal of two lonian Judges—Sir George
Marcoras and Sir Type.ldo Xydras—by the Lord
High Commissioner, in the autumn of last year.
Putting aside Mr. Roebuck's declamation against
the Duke of Newcastle and Sir Henry Storks, the
charge is that, the five years' term of office of these
gentlemen having expired, their appointments were
not renewed. From this it is concluded that an act
of gross tyranny has been perpetrated ; that Sir H.
Storks has governed in the spirit of James 11., and
that the noble principle of the immobility of judges
has been violated to serve a political purpose. We
cannot share the indignation of Mr. Roebuck, or
join in the more temperate complaints of Lord Stan
ley ; and, happily, there is no occasion for any one
in this country to be over-anxious in the matter.
In a few months the Protectorate will, we trust, be
withdrawn. Sir Henry Storks, the last of his order,
will have taken leave of his unruly Deputies and his
rather more courtly Senate ; the flag of Greece will
be raised amid the " Z ?tea" of the crowd, and the
well-feigned enthusiasm of the trading classes; and
we shall have done with the lonians, their aspira-
tions, and their grievances, for ever. If, then, any
deep wrong has been done, and lonian Constitu-
tionalism has suffered at the rude hands of the Lord
High Commissioner, it may soon be remedied. Free
Greece will be able to reinstate Mamma and
Xydras, or give them a compensation equivalent to
their unmerited losses. It is not often that martyrs
have their reward so close before them. But even
if the Protectorate were to continue, and these gen •
tlemen had no hope of redress except from the con-
demnation of Sir H. Storks' acts by the British
Parliament, we should consider that their advocate
had made out no reason for interference. In the first
place, the House of Commons has no constitutional
right to take up this subject at all. If there were adis-
pute between the Lord High Commissioner and the
lonian Legislature which could not be settled except
by such interference—if the interests of the empire or
the honour of the Crown required authoritative ex-
pression of opinion in the British Parliament, then
there would be grounds for remonstrance or advice.
But here there was no kind of collision between the
lonian authorities. The power which took the chief
part in substituting new Judges for the old ones was
not Sir Henry Storks, but the lonian Senate, and
the Chamber, full as it is of malcontents, has not
thought fit to make a grievance of the case. In fact,
there was neither legally nor, according to lonian
ideas, constitutionally any wrong committed. These
judicial offices are vacated every five years, and at
the end of this term the Senate makes new appoint-
ments, the former Judges being re-eligible, and, as
a general rule, re-elected. But it is a mistake to
suppose that these functionaries have in any way the
almost sacred character of an English Judge. The
most important point in an English Judge's conduct
is that he should abstain from politics, and if these
eminent persons were known to mix themselves up
with the party struggles of the day we may be sure
that the reverence felt for them would speedily
diminish, and their irremovability, though estab-
lished by law, would cease to be a part of the con-
stitutional creed of their countrymen. Now, the
Judges of the lonian Islands have never ceased to be
politicians, and sometimes they have been among the
hottest and busiest of the Republic. In this case it
is expressly stated that the two Judges who were
not reappointed lastyear were connected with a num-
ber of the most busy politicians in the Islands, and
that they used their influence against the forms of ad-
ministration which Sir H. Storks, in accordance with
the views of the Home Government and the most
able and liberal men in the Islands, was bent upon
establishing. So far from the Protectorate having
taken vengeance upon political enemies, these
gentlemen were supporters of the Protectorate,
and rather favoured the older and less liberal forms
of government which had been formerly in being.
A family clique was in possession of a certain
number of offices, and the people of the Islands
were anxious that some change should be made, and
new blood transfused into the Administration.
Under these circumstances the Senate thought it
right not to re-appoint two gentlemen as Judges
who were among the heads of this obnoxious party.
Sir H. Storks merely acquiesced in the decision of
the body which was legally entitled to decide on
the question. He might have refused to accept the
Senate's act, but in so doing he would have swerved
just as much from the regular constitutional course
as he did in assenting to the substitution of new
for the old Judges. The mistake of those English-
men wt o would make a grievance of this matter is
that they judge the affairs of a little, restless, and
very factious community by the constitutional
canons which guide this old and settled monarchy.
They may take it for granted that in Corfu or in
Athens no man ever gains any kind of office or
station without using it for political purposes, and
that political purposes signify before everything
else the providing for himself and friends. We
have not the smallest desire to censure these Judges,
or to endorse any charges made against them. It
is sufficient that the constituted authorities—the
Senate and the Lord High Commissioner—thought
it for the benefit of the State that Messrs. Marcoras
and Xydras should not be re-appointed when their
term had expired, and that, so far as we can learn,
there has been no complaint of their decision on the
part of the lonian people. It is the duty of the
British Legislature to refrain from interfering even
in colonial concerns when all parties in the colony
are satisfied ; how much more so, then, should it
avoid the affairs of what has al ways been theore-
tically an independent State, and which is about
soon to become part of a foreign monarchy.
HERALD.—During the long and animated discus-
sions to which iron ships have given rise the ques-
tion of the power of resisting the shocks of artillery
projectiles is the one that has dominated. The
debate has been almost wholly Platonic—figura-
tively so to speak—a question of vulnerability or
invulnerabidty by fire, and the forces begotten of
fire. Complacently enough the point was taken
for granted that Neptune could have no possible
objection to accept benignantly the new material
that, moulded into plates and slabs by engineering
science, was to supplement, at least, if not sup-
plant, his time-honoured hearts of oak. The advo-
cates of iron ships reckoned without their host.
Neptune, at the eleventh hour, puts in his appear-
ance, giving iron shipbuilders quietly to understand
that the problem they have in hand is not quite so
free from difficulties as they foniily imagined. An
iron ship having been built and launched, the next
thing is to protect it ; not the protection from shot
and shell, which is a question of mechanical strength,
but from elemental ravages to which iron is liable.
From the first it had been thoroughly foreseen that
the prolonged contact of iron and sea water would
be altogether inadmissible ; that some sort of sur-
face protection would be necessary was a conclusion
taken for granted; and, having regard to the paints,
Tarnishes, and other materials in profusion at hand,
no anxiety was entertained for the result. It turns
out, however, that whilst every surface covering for
iron ships leaves much to be desired, some actually
intensify the evil they were designed to remedy,
actually setting up a voltaic reaction, under the
effects of which iron disintegrates, falling to powder
or dissolving into a fluid. This is a matter which,
though not contemplated originally by the ship-
builder, has long been well known to the chemist.
The phenomena of this particular destruction have
long been studied by chemists and reduced to general
laws. Popularly speaking, what takes place may
be reduced to the general expression, that when two
metals come together in presence of a fluid capable
of acting on both separately the whole force of com-
bination is exercised upon the one most amenable
to the influence. Thousands of examples illustra-
tive of this fact readily present themselves, but
the case of an iron rail embedded in a leaden
socket is the one most frequently encountered.
After a certain duration of exposure the iron
thus circumstanced wastes away at the line
where it comes into contact with the lead,
and for a certain distance surrounding lead,
the explanation being that whereas both iron
and lead are susceptible of atmospheric agencies,
iron is the more susceptible. Whence, to be in ac-
cordance with the law enunciated, it is the iron that
disintegrates wholly, the lead remaining intact. In
strict parallelism with this illustrative case it hap-
pens that when an iron plate or slab copper coated
is exposed to sea water it is the iron, not the cop-
per, upon which the chemical agents present in sea
water expend their energy. So long as iron thus
circumstanced is freely exposed to sea water de-
struction continuously proceeds, and a portion of
copper, in bulk dependent upon the exposed surface
of iron, goes on to destruction. This effect being a
law of nature cannot be obviated, so long as the
conditions already laid down are fulfilled. Nothing,
then, is more certain than the utter impossibility of
utilising copper as a sheathing for iron ships, if the
copper be in immediate contact with the iron. What
takes place when red lead is used by way of paint
upon the immerged surface of an iron ship, a letter
published by us on Monday makes evident. The
red lead becomes actually reduced to metallic lead,
the oxygen yielded up in order to bring about this
reduction being given over to the iron. When the
circumstance is oorne in mind that for every atom
of red lead thus changed into metallic lead a corres-
ponding atom of metallic iron is converted into iron
rust, some idea of the gravity of chemical action in-
volved will be realised. The whole subject is beset
with difficulties; thus, in the first place, the deside-
ratum is not to impart a surface covering of- atiso-

lute indestructibility under the energies
brought to bear ; such a result—even were it puss"
—would not be desirable.clGuided by consideratioiu
of the voltaic law just enunciated, Sir H.
Dac_)
rendered the copper sheathing of ships indestru:
tible. He accomplished this by affixing to the copp
surface at suitable distances slabs of zinc. It se hap'
pens that when copper and zinc are thus broug.,
immediately into contact and the whole immerge
practica.ll?
in sea water, it is then the zinc that wholly 9:
solves, sacrificed—if the expression may be useleti
to ensure the preservation of the euPPer'
completeness of this preservative result wasll
1
trated by Davy, who soon found the app
lication
his discovery checked by an issue his science., re,
not foreseen. No sooner was copper render
indestructible than it ceased to repel the adheen.
of barnacles and sea weeds. The normal deer;
tion of copper sheathing of a wooden ship sue
found to be in a condition indispensable to the
cessful employment of copper sheathing. of all
materials ever tried for ship-sheathing varpose".,,,
del
out ships be it understood—copper has turnice`i
out the most successful. Dissolved gradually neoui
the influence of the various chemical agents Preeter
in all natural water, but more especially see bat
it leaves in its wake a poisonous trail, of whic" tary
nacles and other ocean parasites stand it) eel°, the
dread. Were it proper and reasonable to regve',4
existence of any natural law, assuredly the 11
which decrees that when iron and copper are brclig.
into immediate contact in the presence of
iron shall be destroyed, as a sacrifice offered liot
the copper, might provoke an expression of ',O.
regret. Were it possible to lay the copper sheathit:
upon some intermediate material not amenebleod
the voltaic law enunciated, the desired result Othy
be achieved. More than one project foreffecting core
is now before the Government, and partially hek'ins
the public. Every person at all interested in rn
must sincerely desire them success; every Perist
who has the durability of our growing iron fief or
heart. After successfully providing against dee'Ln
water, the
tion from impact of shot and shell, by attaching
plates of competent thickness, it would be a POI
yoking issue of all this engineering care and 'to
were elemental changes slowly operating to sap hull
boasted strength, converting the ponderous iron
to a friable mass, devoid of hardness and cohere;
POST.—Necessary formalities are now all thet2o,
ter2ose between the Throne of Greece and its
LLee9
tined occupant. A conference of the representanyeld
of the three Powers chiefly interested will be ha,./
within a few days in London, when the neces:oo
protocols will be drawn up. If there has beensvbe.
delay in the assembling of this conference, it °too
cause it is usual iu diplomatic affairs to ceTeOnsty
general understanding before proceeding chr`-ob.
with the matter in hand. It was, for instance,'
jected by Prince Christian that his son conl°,l
gracefully or fairly accept the Crown until Pa'
Otho's right had been finally and formally disP°l-300
of. This seemed at first sight almost captious, but,ifiji
now found that, in order to proceed correctly, it' the
be right to invite Bavaria to the first meeting °,,c` isg
conference, and to request the abdication of
Otho. There is no doubt that the ex-King's au
Who
will be in the negative, and on this the Powers if
selected him as King of Greece will proceed for' the
to recognise the legality of his deposition font, 10
Throne. Having chosen a King for the Gre9',l3-eit
1832, and having assented to the validity of ; jog
revolution in 1862, the mission of the pv°tetlel•
Powers is so far at an end. They look to the) ad,
lenic nation to select their own monarchliid
that selection being made in the person of rnive.
George 1., they cannot but approve of the c`;1041
The minor difficulties which presented thews for
are now understood to be overruled. It `Oro/
example, stipulated on the part of Greece ths'in
children of King George should be brought,stiarroll
the Greek religion. Prince Christian was of
willing to assent to this, as their non-profess'
abet
the Lutheran form of Christianity might prove "art.
to their possible eventual succession in Den tags
It has been thought, however, undesirable t° poop
into serious consideration so remote a conting,:doo
more especially as Russia, for her part, insietrest,
the education of the future dynasty in the `;.;
faith, and in so doing only followed the dictiSor
good sense and the certain wishes of the Gree-011
tion. This poiat has therefore been coneedetlfencO
in fact, every point on which any serious dirle'beell
could have arisen may be regarded as having 0001
adjusted. Some of the details relating to :oaf
and finance have still to be concluded ; but ”11 re
be taken for granted that these questions wi,1,,,0c0
ceive a satisfactory solution. When the conle.'n tO
of London shall have given its formal Balleil Cie
the arrangement, the Greek deputation now.,Aliste,
penhagen will tender the Crown to Prince ;1010
in solemn form, and he will be legally te-roP6
King of Greece with the countenance of -0'
This long-pending negotiation will thus h,e,„t:clolet,
nated to the general satisfaction. The aA'"„v.; (10
under its new auspices, with the important a'ueso/
of the lonian Islands, may look forward to 3 -41
era of tranquillity and prosperity. Its future rot
depend on the Greeks themselves. They haveg.4ool
capacities and great opportunities. It will re7„ir
with the Hellenic nation, now freed from the ;$O,
government which has so long impeded its pogo/
to enter upon a career of reform and happineee.;o9e(ll
idle dreams of Byzantine empire must be diel:tooll
and the efforts of every honest and patriotic o'f tlfo
must be concentrated upon the developtnerit °oagb
resources of his country, which are ample ey-,fide
to ensure not only individual wealth, but to P'o-1
amply for the permanent credit and eolveneY
State.