The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-19 00:00:00

SECOND COURT.

Mr Payne presided in the Second Court to-day.
Bridgett Farrell surrendered on bail to answer a charge of
stealing several packets of groceries belonging to her master.
The prisoner was servant to Mr Michael Lee, 243, Ful-
ham-road. The family consisted of Mr Lee, his wife, and
daughter. Mr Leo ordered these groceries of Mr Barnes,
of Fulham, on Friday evening, March 11. Geo. Hall, the
errand boy, proved the delivery of the several packages to
the prisoner on the saws evening at Mr Lee's house. The
whole, excepting half a pound of currents, were found scat •
tered about inside the railings of Fulham-crescent by the
fire-eseapeman Rowlands, as ho was going off duty on
Saturday morning at 7 o'clock. The prisoner denied that
the boy had delivered them, but Mrs Lee, on account of
previous dishonesty, did not believe her, and dismissed her
from the service. Mr. Lee was out of town until the fol-
lowing Wednesday evening, and on Thursday morning he
gave her into custody.
The jury found the prisoner not guilty.

PERSIAN STUDENTS IN ENGLAND.—Five young
Persian gentlemen have arrived in England to be
educated at the expense of their own Government, under the
care of his Excellency Mahniowl Khan, the Persihka Minis-
ter in this country.

TlMES.—After a gallant defence of two months
Dybbol was taken yesterday mornieg by assault,
and the Danish army has lost its last held on the
mainland of Schles a ig, For some days the event
had been expected. Towards the close of last month
it became evident that the Prussians had thrown
off the languor which marked the early conduct of
the siege, and were resolved to press it with vigour
and to force, if possible, a surrender. It need
hardly be said that the prospect of the coming Con-
ference had much to do with this sudden display of
energy. It is to injustice to the Prussians to sup-
pose that they were unwilling to retire from the
scene of war without having gained tome conspi-
cuous advantage in a campaign of which they were
the chief authors. Although the actual posses-
sion of some Danish earthworks and a certain num-
bet; Danish prisoners might not tend to settle the
question in dispute between Denmark and Germany,
yet, the war being once begun, it was unpleasant
to retire from it without the flowers, if not the
fruits, of victory. Hence for the last fortnight the
Prussians have worked with a spirit of which their
former operations gave no promise. Their great
resources, their excellent arms and materials of
war, their discipline, and the good military quali-
ties of their soldiers, have been used with effect in
the reduction of the Danish stronghold. As the
day for the Conference approached their desire for
a speedy success became stronger, and in their im-
patience they did not even think it necessary to
abide by the ordinary customs of war. But the
burning of Sonderborg was only an episode of other
and more legitimate operations. Day by day they
brought their fire nearer the Danish batteries. At
the beginning of last week it became evident that
the Danes, unless largely reinforced, could not long
hold the place. Unless such an army could have
been placed in Schleswig as would have com-
pelled the enemy to raise the siege, the fate of
Dybbol was sealed, for the Prussians were in their
third parallel, the Danish batteries were suffering
from the heavy fire, and the soldiers themselves
were worn out with the continual work made
necessary by a struggle with an enemy vastly su-
perior in numbers and better appointed in every
respect. The extremities to which they were re-
duced and their growing despondency are well de-
scribed in our correspondent's letter. At last the
assault was made yesterday morning. We do not
yet know the details, but we trust that the conflict
was less bloody than others which our time has
witnessed. It seems certain that the Danes them-
selves expected the result, for they are described as
dismantling the forts of the best part of their artil-
lery, and taking most of their guns over to Alsen.
However that may be, we must presume that they
defended the place with sufficient obstinacy. But
the Prussians were successful, Redoubts Ito 7 are
on the left and centre of the Danish line and extend
from the shores of Wenning-bay to a point on the
straight line which joins Sonderborg and the vile
lage of Dybbol. These appear to have been first
mastered by the Prussians, who then passed to the
Danish rear and took possession of their communi-
cations. Then Redoubts 8,9, and 10 on the Danish
right were taken, together with the tege-de•pont.
The bridge was destroyed, and 2,000 men, with 51
officers, are spoken of as having fallen into the
hands of the enemy. Thus ends the siege of
Dybbol. Like the Russians on the morrow of the
great assult on the Malakoff, the Danes have aban-
doned their positions and retreated across a narrow
piece of water, with the intention, no doubt, to
dispute the further progress of the enemy. They
probably do not consider themselves as wholly
beaten or their cause as lost. On the other hand,
the Prussians have won a decisive victory. It may
not be a great one ; it may furnish no fitting subject
for boasting, nor of complacent remembrance here-
after, bat still it is a victory, and Prussia may con-
gratulate herself and her German friends that the
Danish force is now driven from continentalSchleswig
The allied Powers have accomplished that for which
they profess to have t alien up arms. They have their
"material guarantee." They have entered Schleswig;
they have defeated the King's army, driven it from
two fortified positions, killed, wounded, or captured
several thousands of Danes, eupersed d the Royal
au. hority, di,placed the King's coinage, ejected his
cflici:ls, forbidden the use of his name even in the
prayers of the Caurch, and thus, they may Lope,
satisfied the moat patriotic aspirations of the Ger-
man nation. Will not these things content them ?
Both sides have ',lobe enough to show their courage
and their military talents. The Danes have herd
their ground wall, and every one on the spot
acknowledges that the Prussians have lately pushed
the s'ege with skill and energy. The operations
have ended without dishonour attaching to either
party. Fair success has rewarded the victor, and
complete subjection has not fallen to the lot of the
vanquished. At present the Danes are concentrated
in Alsen, where they will endeavour to make a
stand at the works which they are said to have been
long preparing. Should the war continue, there
can certainly be no doubt as to the fate of their
army. The allied forces will be sooner or later able
to cross the Sound, and compel a retreat to the
Danish ships, or a capitulation. But time is neces-
sary for such a design. At present Denmark still
has an army in the field; the Conference will begin
to-morrow, and the questions which are now being
decided by the sword will be brought under its
deliberations. It is an opportunity which ought not
to be lost by the representatives of the neutral
Powers. There will be a better chance of happy
relations between the Dane and the German, be-
tween the Sovereign and his subjects, if the war
comes to an end without the Danish army being
reduced to the last extremity. We are happy to
believe that in these deliberations the two Western
Powers will be found in accord. Although there
may have been some minor differences in the
views of the Emperor and her Majesty's Govern-
ment with respect to the grievances and rights of
the Duchies, there is a full agreement that the
integrity of the Danish Monarchy shall be pre-
served, and that the unhappy campaign in
Schleswig and the occupation which is exhausting
and demoralising both Duchies shall be brought to
an end. Lord Clarendon is said to have found the
Emperor ready to co-operate fully withGreatßritain
in the restoration of peace, and the settlement of
the chief questions in a manner consistent both with
popular rights and the honour of the Danish
Crown. It is clearly within the province of such a
body of representatives as will meet to-morrow to
urge in the strongest manner the cessation of blood-
shed. Now that the bases of the settlement have
been formally or tacitly agreed upon there can be
no necessity for a further appeal to arms. Every
member of the Conference, with the ex-
ception, perhaps, of Baron Beust, will begin the
discussion without any wish but for that reasonable
compromise which is inevitable. Thequestions which
will be really disputed may be difficult, but they re-
late more to administration and political rights than
to nationality and dynasty. The farther prosecu-
tion of the campaign can only retard 3 satisfactory
arrangement.

POST.—Last evening, pursuant to notice, Mr.
Disraeli directed the attention of the Homo of
Commons to the singular fact that during the past
twelvemonths an Under Secretary of State bad
been taking part in the debates and divisions of the
House, though absolutely disqualified from so doing
by Act of Parliament. When the late Secretary
for War, Sir G. C. Lewis, died, the then Under
Secretary in that department, the Earl De Grey
and Ripon, was appointed to the vacant post, and
the Under Seerettuship was given to the Marquis
of Hartington, a member of the Lower House of
Parliament. To the latter appointment no objec-
tion was ever raised until last Friday evening, when
Mr. Disraeli called attention to the circumstance
that there were then five Under Secretaries occu-
pying seats in the House of Commons, althoughit
was specially provided by the Legislature that four
only should enjoy that privilege. The discussion
of the question was postponed until last evening,
but even in that brief interval circumstances had
arisen which would seem to have stripped the ques-
tion mooted by Mr. Disraeli of much of its prac-
tical importance. The Vice-President of the Board
of Education had meantime resigned, his office had
been given to the Under Secretary for the Home
Department, and, consequently, when the House
met last evening, there were but four Under Secre-
taries members of the House of Commons. The
Government were thereby relieved from a disagree-
able dilemma, but it was, of course, still open to the
House to mark its sense of what had taken plane
by recording a formal resolution to the effect that
the law had been violated. Mr. Disraeli, however,
submitted a resolution to the house which, in effect,
not only declared that the statute had been in-
fringed, but that the seat held by the Marquis of
Harlington, who until yesterday was the fifth
Under Secretary of State, was vacated. As the
points raised in the course of the discussion are not
a little curious, and their bearings, both in a consti-
tutional and legal aspect of considerable importance,
we will briefly refer to the changes which have at
various times been made in the law so far as it af-
feels the tenure of office under the Crown by mem-
bers of the House of Commons: In the reign of
Queen Anus the House of Commons awoke, to a con.