The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-15 00:00:00

. er;'.,, ~e_47,,/e,e,‘' $. r7re„/•e_,•Z.
o‘,_- "/;:/' ' ' -
• -- :;.--;
...4
The Crawley Court-, iiiats_t_747l
.-,...--.4, ..x...-;4-
f...,z..:=-4--z,
. ~ .
-
.;(t(4., 'a:7 •Q'„
16 I / . '"'
•,, - '''
A;;;..'47%. ~, -______ ...
are the rem tlii;*4ll:4-.34
-4.
:, - ~,e k0i7,4"4"--zos
"
4-1(0-0 -
... . ~,,,...,...„, -... *:
„., :„.- -,..... -..- ‘4,,,.. is ", --A- -- - -
. .1, ;.; ..,, 4.--_2-
__....- t, it,,....10-1. ,,-. ....; ~, .. ~ ...... ir ' Marshal Co tqa:pdio-t;-tt,
1
..-- mv.orig., • - :,,,,,-.6-..,..,. , ~ . :
: r $16., - , V-- -\ ~ fig:ar - - ice' ftipm----.- .z/ ,
_.
...0 11 ....
,rt-martial he ii,..41a
,T 11
',-. ;i- ; -,.' ~, AIi:V.«A 4',_ ,-e - ''' 9.3. '''/1 . 4,` i • .... N.IP -I.' -,.. i
-
:,./
,„,.......
..-. : , , _ 4
...3.300„.... 70 ,:,:lAtis.ollr, '--,..4,L,_.....mitzTh....._, -41,4 i IN ;41.40-..i, C i!gese.:.. 4, _.
,0 - 4 ' i
D VirigrA.i.4tit '4,.,,., .br. iss PA... ' bßorr• iN.......i. illii, sA ,-.:-
~., ,
440. , 1863, fort diet

The following
Highness the Field
en the General Cou:
the 17th November,
Colonel T. K. Crawley, 6th Dragoons :1E a
Horse Guards, Jan. 14, 1864.
Afur a patient and protracted trial the court martial on
Lieut.-Colonel Crawley has been brought to a close by the
full and honourable acquittal of that officer.

PR1CE...... ...4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

depending upon the character and religious denominations
of the inmates of their prisons; and if an interval were
allowed for members to obtain accurate returns on the
subject, he thought the convenience as well as the de-
corum of the Cou►t would 1)e much promoted.
Mr. LAwniE said that although the question was disposed
of at their last meeting, it was disposed of avowedly on the
ground that they had not before them the statistics requi-
site to guide them to a right decision upon it. They knew,
indeed, practically what the effect of those statistics would

The Judoe-AdvocateGeneral has submitted to her Ma-
jesty to confirm and approve the proceedings, and the
Field-Marshal Commending-in-Chief has recommended to
her Majesty that the verdict of the Court should be now
earned out.

Limit.-Colonel Crawley will therefore resume the com-
mand of the 61 Inniskii ling Dragoons with the least pas-
sible delay, and his Royal Highness trusts that ho will
prove by tact and judgment In the performance of his
duties that he appreciates the importance of his position as
a commanding officer, and that the painful experience of
the past bus not been lost upon him.

be ; but ttiey had not yet that information in en of leial and
authentic shape. That deficiency Mr. Cox's resolution
would supply, and it would hereafter be opon to him to found
a further motion upon the returns. Mr. Turner's proposal
to refer the main question to any section of the Court was
very objectionable. Matters of detail might ve-y well be so
referred; but that was a question, not of detail, but of
principle, and as such it should be dealt wi h by the Court
on their own responsibility. Would they or would they
not recognise the principle of the Prison Ministers Bill ?
He belicved they ultimately would. It was their bounden
duty to do so. and if they did not they would virtually
abrogate the act of Parliament as far as that county was
concerned. (No.) That was his own individual opinion. The
adoption or rejection of the act should be discussed, after fair
notice, by the whole body of the magistrates, who ought not
to shrink from pronouncing a decision upon it ; and, if they
agreed to adopt it, then would be the time foe referring to the
visiting justices points of detail as to salary, or the mode
of giving effect to that decision. Under the second section
of the act, the visiting justices had power to admit a Roman
Catholic minister to the prisons if they thought fit. If, in
a prison containing 1,800 prisons. s, they found 380 Protes-
tants, did anybody doubt that they would have a Protestant
chaplain ? Then, on the principle of doing as they would
be done by, it was their duty to have a Roman Catholic
chaplain for the 380 prisoners of that faith at Coldbath-
fields. They were required to do it by the Act. (" No.")
Practically, the Act was obligatory upon them. (" No ; it
is discretionary.") No doubt it was an injunction left to
their candour and honourable feeling by the Legislature,
because the circumstances of particular districts were so
various that one fired uniform rule could not be made uni-
versally binding. But the preamble of the Act expressly
declared that the present system was defective and required
amending and extending. They had no right, then, to set
up their own opinion that the present practice was stAficient
in opposition to the declared will of parliament. He did
not deal with that as a religious question, but as a question
of the respect due to an Act of Parliament. At the proper
time he should vote for the appointment of a stated minister
for the Roman Catholic prisoners. It was said that what
they did for prisoners of that persuasion they must do for
prisoners of all their denominations. No doubt, a single
soul was infinitely precious, but the Legislature had made
numbers the test in this matter; and, moreover, there were
no such broad distinctions between Dissenters and the
Church of England as made submission to the ministrations
of the latter a sin on the part of the former, as was the case
with Doman Catholics. Apprehensions of proselytism had
been expressed, but it did not lie in their mouths to talk
about proselytism when every one of the 330 Roman Catholic
prisoners referred to was liable every day to be called upon
by a Protestant chaplain, and might be compelled to receive
his ministrations (" No I")—not, indeed, in the chapel, but
in his cell.

For it is only by a happy combination of temper, judg-
ment, and .discretion, united with firmness, that tho com-
mand of a feginient can be properly conducted, and the
more difficult the elements wiih which. a commanding efii.
cer may have to deal the mere requisite is it for hire to pos.
secs and exercise those qualifications for command.
The Court has remarked on the animus displayed by
Major Swinley in giving his evidence, and has further no-
ticed the evasive, hesitating, and unsatisfactory character
of the evidence of Surgeon Turnbull and Lieutenant and
Adjutant Fitzsimon.
In the proceedings of the Mhow court martial both Ma-
jor Swinley and Surgeon Turnbull were similarly reflected
upon.

His Royal Highness was disposed on that occasion to
give these officers a further trial, and did not remove them
at that period from the Inniskilling Dragoons, but he feels
that he cannot again treat them with a like leniency.
Major Swinley has unfortunately not availed himself
of the forbearance then shown to him. He bas not ceased
to entertain feelings which strike at the root of all dis.
cipline.

His continuance in the 6th Dragoons crm therefore no
logger be permitted, and he will be removed from the regi-
ment accordingly.

Surgeon Turnbull, in like manner, has laic', himself open
to the gravest censure. His conduct with re ference to the
entries in the hospital records will become the subject of
further inquiry, and should his explanations not prove
satisfactory, most serious notice must necessa-ily be taken
of his proceedings ; but, at all events, his continuance in the
Inniskili.ing Dragoons has become impossible.
Lieutenant and Adjutant Fitzsimon has by his replies and
evasive answers proved himself utterly unfit for the post of
adjutant, the duties of which he carried out in so unsatis-
factory a manner, as proved by his own evidence.

It is farther most undesirable that he should continue in
the 6th Dragoons. He therefore will likewise be removed
from the regiment.

The general tone and temper evinced by a portion of
the officers et the Inniskilling Dragoons is most deplorable.
When the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief issued his
Memorandum on the Mhow court-martial he was not, as he
is now, aware of the extent of ill-feeling which actually
prevailed.

Discipline cannot be maintained when such views are
entertained by any portion of the officers of the regiment,
and it greatly redounds to the credit of the corps generally
that its efficiency did not suffer more by the insubordinate
and defiant tone manifested by some of its leading mem-
bers.

The sad and painful lesson which has been experimced
by all will, it is hoped, not be forgotten by those who have
escaped censure.

Mr. Cox withdrew his motion in favour of the first para-
graph of the amendment, which then became the substantive
motion, Mr. Turner consenting to limit his proposal for
the present to a mere request for returns.
Mr. HALSWELL thought there was a practical difficulty
in the way of their agreeing to the resolution for returns.
At the Westminster House of Correction, for example, he
believed the particulars now asked for were not kept on re-
cord, and therefore could not be furnished.
Mr, Sergeant PAYNE hoped it would be distinctly under-
stood that if the motion now proposed was agreed to the
hands of the Court would not thereby be in any way tied
when they came to discuss the question of principle here-
after.

Without discipline an army is worse than useless, and,
under all circumstances, it must, therefore, be maintained.
His Royal Highness, having had a personal and inti-
mate knowledge of what the Inniskilling Dragoons were in
former days, is most painfully impressed with the a t,;red
tone of the regiment in respect of too many of its officers
which is now brought to his notice. Bad elements must
have been introduced, which have tended to this lament-
able change in a corps second to none in former days, both
as regards discipline and cadency.
The Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief trusts that the
decisive steps now taken may at once and for ever put a
stop to similar practices, alike destructive to the intera's of
the corps and to those of the individuals concerned.
His Royal Highness cannot conelede these remarks
without observing that he considers it due to the Comman-
der. in-Chief in India to state that, while ho is still of opi-
nion that the character for sobriety of Sergeant-Major
Lilley up to the period of his arrest was supported by the
evidence before the Court, statements were subsequently
made to Sir H. Rose, borne out by the opinions of tae me-
dical officers of the regiment, which explain to the Field
Marshal Commanding-in-Chief the grounds upon which
that distinguished General effi3er made the observations on
that portion of the case included in his remarks on the
Mhow court martial.

Mr. Turner's motion for returns was then agreed to nem.
con., with the addition of words suggested by Mr. Stanford,
to embrace the statistics of other denominations besides
Etoman Catholics as far as they can be obtained.
Mr. LAwRIE then gave notice that on next county day,
if the returns now ordered were produced, ho intended to
move that, having regard to the number of Roman Catholic
prisoners within the three prisons in that county, it is expe-
dient to appoint for each of such prisons a minister of that
church, at a reasonable renumeration, under the provisions
of the Pam Ministers Act.
Adjourned.

By command of his Royal Highness the Field Marshal
Commanding-in-Chief.

W. F. FOILSTER, Military Secretary.

TRIAL OF ARMOUR PLATES.

Denmark is following in the wake of the great
Continental Powers, who, before commencing their
armour-clads, have instituted competitive trials
between the resistance offered by various plates of
the same thickness manufactured in England and in
France. The announcement made some time back
that French plates were about to compete with. ours
in the markets of Europe created a feeling among
our man ufact arers which was at first one of astonish-
ment, and which became almost one of consternation
when at a trial of some French plates at Portsmouth
they gave some really remarkable results as re-
garded their powers cif resistance. How the French
managed to produce such good plates as were then
experimented upon is a mystery to this day; for,
although since the unlooked for success of these few
specimens they have regularly competed side by
side with ours in various parts of Europe, their
failure has been so rapid and so total as to drive
them out. of the market almost as quickly as they had
entered it. Nowhere were they more signally de-
feated than before the French officers at Vincennes,
and since that time they have been efficialiy con-
demned in Russia, Holland, Sweden, England, and
now, again, in Denmark. This last experiment was
begun in the arsenal near Copenhagen on the 27th
of last month. The trial lasted over several days
and the results have just been made public. Five
plates were experimented upon—namely, one from
Gaudet and Co., Lyons ; one from the Lancefield
Company, Glasgow; one from the Thames Ironworks,
London ; one from Messrs. Rigby's works, Glas-
gow; and one from the Atlas works of Brown and
Co., Sheffield. All the plates were of about the same
size-15ft by 3,-}ft ; each was 41in thick, and backed
to resemble the Warrior target, which is everywhere
taken as the standard of resistance, upon 18in. of
teak beams. The guns used were the usual 95ewt.
63-pounder naval ordnance, loaded with the full
service charge of 161 b. After three shots at each
plate those of Gandet and Co., the Lancefield works,
and Thames Ironworks were so injured as to be de-
clared by the Commission to be unfit for farther
competition. Messrs. Rigby's plate received four
shots as close together as they could be aimed, and.
Messrs. Brown and Co.'s five shots, similarly
directed, in a small space, without either showing
signs of crack and very little of yielding. The firing
was resumed on the 4th of this month, when another
43-inch plate of Messrs. Cammell and Co., of Shef-
field, was added to the list of competitors, and it
was then determined by the Commission to continue
the firing as nearly as possible upon the same spot
on each plate till it was fairly destroyed. Messrs.
Cammell's plate was the first of the three which
yielded. Eight shots destroyed it, but both the
seventh and the eighth carried away large pieces of
the iron which had previously cracked. Messrs.
Rigby's plate took seven shots in addition to what
it had received on the first day before it was broken
through, and the eighth shot carried a large piece
of the plate through the backing. The firing at
this plate, however, had, as it happened, been more
concentrated than that against Cammell's. Messrs.
Brown and Co.'s plate received nine shots, in a space
of 60 inches by 30 inches. The " last straw" was
the ninth shot, which cracked the plate severely,
bat no part of it was broken, nor, comparatively
sneaking, was the backing injured. The Danish
Commission, therefore, declared the order of merit
to be—Messrs. John Brown and Co., Sheffield,
ficst ; Messrs. Rigby and Co., Glasgow, second;
and Meesre. Cammell and Co., Sitetlieid, third.

THE GREAT CLOCK —" It is a triumph of ingenuity." -
Daily Telegraph, March 31, 18,12. Clocks by the first artists
of the day for the drawing room, dining room, bed room.
library, hall, staircase, bracket, carriage, church, turret, rail-
ways, warehouse, counting house, musical, and astronomical.
Church and turret cl.cks specially estimated for. Denson's
illustrated pamphlet on clocks (f ree by post for two stamps),
with descriptions and prices, enables those who live in any
part of the world to select a clock. Also a short p imphlet
on catnedral and public clocks, free for one stam,.). Prize
medal and honourable mention in classes 33 and 15. J. W.
Benson, 33 and 34, Lu Tate-hill, London E•tablished 1711
Watch and clock maker by special warrant of,
appointment to
11. i .ii. the Prince of Wales.