The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-13 00:00:00

this, or prove an alibi, ete he stated he could on being
arrested, he will be entitled to an acquittal. The
German Society, which has humanely espoused his
cause and provided him with legal assistance at
New York, will doubtless leave no stone unturned
to protect his interests. Something still remains
to be cleared up, and the coroner's jury have pro-
perly abstained from finding a verdict until they
have all available information before them. Let the
chain of circumstantial evidence be ever so strong,
it is not conclusive so long as some key which
purports to unlock it has not been applied. When
that has been:tried and failed, then, and not till
then, presumption becomes moral and legal cer-
tainty.
HERALD.—The Asia brings important news from
America, news less favourable to the Confederacy
than we have of late been wont to receive, but far
less unfavourable than some persons in this country
have been led to suppose. Unless the War Office
at Washington has been more than usually impne
dent in its falsehoods Atlanta has fallen into the
hands of General Sherman. This is a misfortune
no doubt—a" misfortune, chiefly because it will
strengthen the hands of the Federal Government
and encourage a war party at the North. Two years
ago it would have been a terrible blow ; six weeks
ago it would have been a much more serious matter
than it is now. At present so little is thought of it
in New York that the premium on gold, which was
135, ranges between 149 and 154 k. The truth is
this, Atlanta was the great railroad centre of the
South; the nucleus of a set of lines which branched
into every part of the Confederate States, which
connected Tennessee and Northern Mississippi with
Georgia, and through Georgia with the Gulf States
on the one hand, and with Richmond and the
Cnrolinas on the other. While the whole region
through which this system passed was in the mili.
tary possession of the Confederates, the loss of At-
lanta, if such a loss could under those conditions
have occurred, would have been terrible. Even
while Vicksburg remained to the South the fall of
Atlanta would have been a deplorable misfortune,
as it would have cut the communication between
the eastern and western halves of the Confederacy
via Vicksburg. In a word, Atlanta is the nucleus,
the meeting point, the central knot, of a great rail-
way network. But at this moment one-fourth of
that network is in the hands of the North; and
this fact has destroyed the value of the centre.
What remains is independent of Atlanta. The great
line of communication between the Gulf States and
Richmond passes from Montgomery to Augusta—
from the heart of Alabama to a point on the fron-
tiers of Georgia and Sisuth Carolina. One line
passes through Atlanta, and this Sherman has now
cut. One line, therefore, is lost; and in so far the
South has sustained an injury. But the communi-
cation is not cut. Another line passes from Mont-
gomery through Macon to Augusta. Macon, the
nearest point of this line, is 100 miles or so south of
Atlanta. Unless, therefore, Sherman can follow
Hood along this road, drive him into Macon, and,
finally, take that city, he cannot out the Confede-
racy in twain. And if he could, the northern and
southern halves might still maintain a separate and
independent yet healthy life, as east and west have
done since the fail of Vicksburg. In another point
of view the loss of Atlanta is a misfortune, but a fur
less serious one than it would have been six weeks
ago. Hood's defence has gained time, and time was
of vital importance. Atlanta was a great arsenal and
machine shop. It has furnished the Confederacy with
arms turned out of its workshops ; it had factories,
it had stores, it had machinery. shell, while defend.
ing it against Sherman, Hood has been removing,
in heavily laden trains, the stores of arms and am-
munition, the tools, the workmen, the machinery.
We doubt if he will be found to have left behind
anything more than the defences of the place and
the houses which formerly sheltered a population
somewhat like that of Crewe. When Sherman
placed himself at East Point, interrupting the lines
leading to Macon and Montgomery, Hood's work
was ended, and he has left the empty shell of
Atlanta to its fate. Such seems to be the history of
Sherman's success, so far as we can interpret by
our present knowledge the very meagre informa-
tion which hes reached us. There is no reason to
doubt but that the mischance may be repaired be-
fore the evil goes further and the conquerors of
Atlanta approach the defences of Macon. Fort
Morgan, Mobile, after a twenty-four hours' bona-
bardnent, has followed the fate of Fort Gaines.
These two disasters are both, as yet, incomprehen-
sible : we can neither understand how it should
happen that Mobile should be entrusted to the pro-
tection of forts which could not be held for a week,
or how, if they could be held, they came to be sur-
rendered. As yet, treachery and cowardice have
been unknown among the Confederates; nor has
any previous event, on the other, hand, suggested
the probability of such lack of engineering science
on their part as would be indicated in the con.
struction of forts that could not be held for a con•
siderable period against any means at Farragut's
Jtsposal. In outer quarters the confederates have
not been altogether unsuccessful. In Virginia,
more than half the ground held by Hancock upon
the eldon Railroad has been wrenched from him,
after hard fighting; and we may expect to hear that
he has abandoned or been driven from the rest. The
possession of this line is of no inconsiderable im-
portance to the defenders of Richmond, and they
certainly will not relax their efforts to recover it.
Report says that in the Shenandoah Valley Early
has disappeared from Sheridan'e front; a part of
his force, perhaps, having been. recalled to operate
against Grant, as, in 1862, Stonewall Jackson
was called away from his successes over Banks
and Fremont to assist in the movement which drove
M'Clellan through the swamps and woods back to
the shelter of his gunboats on the James River.
And in Arkansas the capture of a whole Federal
regiment appears to have re warded some unexpected
movements on the part of a Confederate force of
which, lately, we had heard little or nothing. Such
are the advantages which are to be set off against
the fall of Atlanta and Fort Morgan. The balance
is perhaps against the South. Yet if the worst
should come, if Macon should follow Atlanta, and
Savannah Macon, and if Montgomery and Mobile
should share their fate, the fortunes of the South
would not be at a lower ebb than were those of the
colonists at more than one period of that war of
independence which ended so disastrously for the
mother country. Federal successes can only prolong
the war, with its fearful crimes and its grinding
misery ; they cannot avert its predetermined and
long foreseen inevitable issue. To this conclusion
the Democratic party at the North appears to have
come. The convention held at Chicago has adopted
a programme which, though in form a compromise
between the two sections of the party, derives its
spirit and substance from that which makes peace
its first and paramount object. Union, but union
through armistice, negotiation, and a general con-
vention ; union to be obtained by the cessation, not
by the protraction and exacerbation of hostilities—
such is the proposal on behalf of which the assem-
bled leaders of the Democratic party appeal to their
country and their adherents. " War, if it can con-
quer the South, cannot restore the Union ; let us try
if we cannot restore the Union by peaceful means ;
failing in that, it will be tiuio enough to draw the
sword again." Such is their policy ; and they have
agreed on a candidate for the Presidency whose name
will give weight to that policy and credit to his sups
porters. With a good sense which the republicans
have failed to learn even from the terrible lessons of
the last four years, they have agreed by acolamation
to propose the strongest man of their part; perhaps
the best and wisest man among the known men of
the
great general ; but he rises into positive grandeur
North. M'Clellan is not a great man, hardly a
by comparison with such intellectual pigmies as
Lincoln, Seward, Sumner,
and the rest of those
whom a Republican victory would confirm in power;
and if he achieved no more than Grant has done he
was at least chary of his soldiers' lives. The quiet
dignity with which he has endured enforced retire-
ment, the unselfish patriotism which inspired his
career while in command, ensure for him such a
respect and esteem as Europeans,
No name could better serve As a at least, have not
been able to entertain for any one who during the
last forty years has occupied the Presidential chair.
rallying point for
the respectable, sober minded men whom the ex-
cesses end follies of the present possessors of power
have utterly terrified and disgusted, and who desire
nothing—not even the Union—so much as a decent,
capable, and law-abiding Government. No man
could be more likely to unite all the elements of
good that may exist in the Northern population, and
form a party strong enough and brave enough to
create and carry out a consistent and practicable
settlement of the present embarrassments of his
country. Taking up the programme of the Chicago
Convention, such a party
may be able at once to in•
duce the South to negociate on such terms as the
North can accept, and the North, after negotiation,
to acquiesce in the inevitable independence of the
South. With the Republican in power negotiation
can hardly be expected, nor, if accepted, could it
lead to any result; but with a President like
M'Clellan the South could treat in confidence. His
election would prove the N
orth at least half re-
covered from its fever of ferocity and fanaticism ;
and a convention held under i
ea auspices, if it failed
—as we think it mutt fail—to restore the Union,
would probably succeed in establishing an amicub'e
separation. The nomination of INl'Clellan as the
Presidential candidate of the Democracy, with a
programme so decidedly pacific, is the one hopeful
augury that appears amid the confusion of the pre-
sent of America and the darkness of her future. For
the fu:filmcnt of that augury we can rather pray
than hope.

What is the differeuee between the English and
the American soldier ?-one fights for tb.? Frown 11441 fie
other for the 44ar Arr9tro

Naval and Military Intelligence,

Hamoaze, the inner harbour of the port of Portsmouth, is
one of the safest and most capacious in Great Britain. It
is over three nautical miles long, and has an average width
of deep water for about three quarters of a mile, and yet for
mercantile or even naval purposes its navigation is both
difficult and dangerous, being constantly occupied by a
numerous and incongruous fleet of active,'passive, and obse-
lete ships of war. Formerly merchant vessels might find
sea room for sailing on one side or the other ; latterly both
sides are used for the accommodation of gun and mortar
boats, and it therefore becomes absolutely necessary for
these vessels to employ steam tugs, which with their convoy
may be able to find a passage if the streams run up or
down true, but when it is high tide or slack water, or when
freshets prevail, the passage is fouled by the long ships of
war, which being caught by contrary currents, swing about
in different directions, and completely chock the navigation.
The bed of the harbour is equally inconvenient to merchant
vessels, for if one should be unfortunately compelled to drop
her anchor, it is very likely to catch in the numerous chain
moorings laid across the stream, and it is contrary to Admi-
miralty regulations for a merchant master himself to adopt
measures to free his anchor. The fleet in Hamoaze consists
chiefly of the Steam Reserve, which is classed in four divi-
sions. In the first division there are the Donegal, 81, the
Constance, 39, the Ocean and the Caledonia, 35, both iron
cased, the Doris, 30, the Zealous, 20, ironcased, the Gannet,
17, the Megsera, 6, iron troop ship, converting into a store.
ship, the Sphynx, 6, paddle, the Espoir, 5, and the gunboats
Ripple, Tilbury, Fervent, Dapper, and Clinker. In the
second division the Windsor Castle, 97, the Royal William,
78, the Royal Albert, 76, and the Brunswick, 68. In the
third the Howe, 107, the Defiance, 81, the Renown, 81, the
St. Jean d'Acre, 81, the James Watt, 79, the London, 78, the
Nile , 78, the Exmouth, 76, the Sanspareil. 70, Centurion,
68, the Russell, 60, the Topaae, 39, the Encounter. 21, the
Desperate, 8, the Intrepid, 6, the mortar vessels Forth and
Seahorse, and the Snake,the Violet, the Skipjack, the Jack-
daw, and the Seagull ; and, in the fourth division, the Ajax,
60; the Hogue, 60; the Centaur, 6 (paddle); and the Rain-
bow. Among the Steam Reserve there is a very large ma-
jority of ships which, from the nature of their build, are not
adapted for modern warfare. The three-decked wooden ship
Windsor Castle, 97 guns nominal, 3,101 tons, launched at
Pembroke on the 24th of August, 1858, and supplied with
superior engines, has never been to sea, and never will in
her present state, although built so recently. She may be
cut down and iron-plated, like the Caledonia. Another
wooden ship, the Howe, 107 guns, 4,245 tons, launched at
Pembroke on the 7th of March 1860, and considered muoh
superior to the 'Windsor Castle, may also be cut down ; and
several other. ships will, unless otherwise disposed of, re-
quire expensive modification or reconstruction. Many of the
older wooden ships are becoming unfit for any duty. The
Russell, Hogue, and Ajax will neither steam nor sail ; their
machinery is complicated and useless, and their hulls are
detenceless against modern artillery. The Majestic, Centu-
rion, and Brunswick may do for coastguard ships, but not
active warfare. The Forth and Seahorse are scarcely avail-
able as mortar ships now ; perhaps, like the Fox, they will
be appropriated for the transport of stores and machinery.
It is understood that the Lords of the Admiralty are desir-
ous of selling the paddlewheel steam sloops Centaur, 6,
1,270 tons. Among the sailing ships are the Amphitrite, 44
-Arachne, 18-Atalanta, 16-Cambrian, 40-Cambridge,
44-Canopus, 41- Cerberus, 42-Circe, 42-Creole, 26-
Flora, 40 -Foudroyant, 78-Grecian, 12-Hamadryad, 42
-Impregnable, 78- Indefatigable, 50-Indus, 78-King-
fisher, 12-Leda, 41-Liberty, 12-Martin, 12--Nautilus,
6-Nemesis, 44-Pique, 40-Royal Adelaide, 78-Squirrel
12-Stag, 44-and Sybile, 40. Some of these aro applied to
useful purposes ; the Royal Adelaide carries the post admi-
ral's flag, and receives seamen for active service; the Indus
bears the admiral superintendent's flag, and is a depot for
engineers, stokers, and pensioners; the Cambridge is used
by seamen gunners, the Canopus for disposable seamen, and
the Impregnable, Implacable, and the two brigs Martin and
Squirrel are floating schools for training boys for the sea.
All the obsolete sailing ships, and many of the steam fleet
in Hamoaze, are termed ships in ordinary, and every one
involves a constant expense for caulking, repairing, and
painting. In addition to the engineers in charge of the ma •
chinery on board steamers, each line of battle ship in ordi-
nary has two warrant officers, three men and a boy to take
care of her ; every frigate has two men, and most of the
smaller vessels have ono man, with a warrant officer in
every third ship. The sailing frigates Hamadryad, Cerberus
and S:ag have each a lieutenant. Whatever difficulty may
exist regarding the disposition of some ships propelled by
steam, there cannot be much doubt about the propriety of
selling or breaking up the non-effective ships, which not
only obstruct the navigation, but involve the constant ex-
pense of ship-keepers and occasional surveys by the officers
of Davenport dockyard, who,with their assistants,necessarily
expend some time on board, and bore holes with small
augurs in all directions to ascertain the condition of the
timber. When it is determined at Whitehall to sell a ship,
the course usually observed is to publish her name, with an
inventory of her stores, and to wait for tenders which are
sent there. If the price offered approach the valuation of
the dockyard surveyor, the ship is sold. Occasionally the
offer is increased two or three times before a sale is con-
cluded. The prep.,. dinmeal of useless ships of war has
long been a difficult problem for solution by the successive
Lords of the Admiralty. The necessity for preventing thew
from falling into the possession of unfriendly nations in
their perfect state is the principal obstacle. Breaking up
wooden ships in naval arsenals is found to be a most costly
process It is said that the charge for haulage and for stack-
ing the topsides of the Royal Sovereign, recently cut clown
in Portsmouth Dockyard, was tnore than the value of the
timber when stacked. Oa the other hand, the prices given
by professional shipbreakors, 30s or 40s per ton, bears ap-
parently an unfair relation to the original cost of the ships,
£2O or £3O per ton. But, although the timber may be per-
ftct, a merchant ship built of it is not classed for more than
six years by the Committee of Lloyds, who allow 12 or 13
years for new timber. The period is in some measure re-
stricted by the number and large size of the trenail and bolt
holes in the old timber, and the difficulty in cutting it
without considerably reducing its strength. All market
copper found in the old ships is returnable to the Go-
vernment, and is paid fur at the current market price,
Within the last three or four years the Lords of the Ad-
miralty have sold from Hamoaze the sailing ships Lan-
caster, 1,478 tons; Armada, 1,749 ; Lively and Druid,
1,080; Pallas, 951; Pilot, 485; Pandora, Express, Petrel,
ant Crane, 360; Lapwing, 228 ; the gunboats Arrow,
Lynx, Viper, and Partridge, 477 ; the paddle-wheel vessel
Avon, 361; the Medusa, 3 guns; the Hecla, 6; and the
sailing ships Audromeda, 44 guns ; Proserpine, 44 ; and
Cadmus, 12. The Proserpina was 30 years old, and had
never been to sea. The engines were removed from
the Partridge before the sale. Their Lordships intend
to dispose of the Grecian, built in 1838 ; the Heroine, 1841;
the Nautilus, 1830; the Vigo, 1810 ; the Endymion, 17`97;
the Bellona, 1812 ; the Egeria, 1807 ; the Jupiter, 3813;
the Bacchus, 1813, the Linnet, 1835; the Arachne, 1827;
the Circe, 1827 ; the Nemesis, 1826 ; the Lavinia, 1806,
and six mortar vessels. These ships are roughly estimated
to be worth less than £50,000. It is understood that for
the Sybilla £5,000 has been refused. 'While we aro writing
it is rumoured that their Lordships contemplate offering to
contractors the privilege of breaking up ships-,.f-war in
private yards under the supervision of Government inspec-
tors. It is to be hoped that they will speedily adopt this or
same other vigorous course for realising the value of a
perishing stock. The cost of its maintenance will at once
be saved, and in the port of Plymouth considerable relief
will be given to the important agricultural and mining
traffic carried through the estuary of Hamoaz 3 from its tri-
butary rivers-the Tamar, Lynher, and Tavy.
Her Majesty's screw troopships Himalaya and Vulcan
are hourly expected to arrive at Spithead with troops on
board the Himalaya from Canada and the Vulcan from
China and the Cape of Good Hope.
A Portuguese war corvette sailed on Saturday from the
Motherbank, off Hyde, Isle of Wight, for the westward,
Rear-Admiral R. S. Robinson, Controller of the Navy, is
expected to embark this morning at Portsmouth on board
the Admiralty paddle yacht Enchantress, Staff-Commander
Petley, which will immediately afterwards sail for the
Mediterranean station. Rear-Admiral Robinson will pro-
bably disembark from the yacht at Malta, the Enchantress
then proceeding to Marseilles to receive other members of
the Board, who have travelled by the overland route, and
who will join the Controller at Malta.
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany's steamship Poonah arrived at Portsmouth on Friday
from Southampton, and was docked in the Warrior duck of
her Majesty's dockyard to repair damages to her four-
blade I screw. She was undocked again on Saturday and
left Portsmouth for Southampton.
The Imperial French naval cadet training corvettes Le
Boujainville, Capt. Nourry, and Le Chasseur, Commander
Cony, sailed from Spithead on Saturday in continuation of
their cruise of instruction.
Capt. Rice, of the screw steamship St. George, 72, hav-
ing completed his survey of Coastguard stations in the
gunboat Hind, left Plymouth on Saturday for head quar-
ters at Falmouth,
Tho establishment of the Davenport dockyard is to be
made up to 2,200 men ; several artisans in various depart-
ments will be entered shortly.
The paddlewheel steamsloop Geyser, 6, Com. Arthur A.
Thrupp, is having defects made good in Plymouth Sound.
A considerable number of the hands hitherto employed
on board the ironclad frigate Achilles, 29, 1,250 horse
power, completing for sea at Chatham, have been withdrawn
from that vessel, and placed on the other ships building and
fi ting, in consequence of most of the works in the way of
fitting, &c,, on board the Achilles being now completed.
During the last few days the Achilles has been visited, by
special permission of the Admiralty, by Mr King, the head
of the engineering department of the United States Navy,
who spent a considerable time on board the frigate, over
which he was conducted by the principal officers of the
yard. At the termination of his visit Mr King expressed
his unqualified admiration of everything he had witnessed
on board the Achilles, and frankly admitted that there was
no vessel of the same class or description in the Federal
navy which would bear comparison with her, while in the
opinion of this gentleman she even surpassed the ironclads
Minotaur, Agincourt, and Northumberland, all of which he
had inspected. Such disinterested testimony as that given
by Mr King is the mere valuable whorl it is re:limbered

that the Achilles is the first of the squadron of ironclads
built at the Royal dockyards. In consequence of the length The Ilysterisa
of time which the Achilles has been lying in Chatham har-
bour her bottom has become exceedingly foul, notwithstand-
ing its having been coated with one of the numerous so called
anti-fouling compositions. She will accordingly require to
bo docked and her bottom cleaned before she proceeds on
her first cruise.

Second Capt R. Decie, in command of the 9th Company
of Royal Engineers at Woolwich, will succeed Capt C. E.
Harvey as Adjutant at the Royal Engineer establishment,
Chatham, on the promotion of the latter officer.
A serious accident occurred on Wednesday last to Mr
Lighton, a cadet of her Majesty's ship Britannia,who,while
running about the rigging fell from the main chains and
struck on the landing stage of the gangway, by which he
received a fracture of the skull and severe internal injury.
Mr Sayce, a young cadet, seeing him in the water bleeding
and insensible, instantly sprang overboard in the most gal-
lant manner to the rescue, and was quickly followed by Mr
Stackpoole, another cadet (both having their clothes on).
They endeavoured to support him as well as they could,
but, finding the tide too strong, were about to relinquish
their hold, when Lieut Hereford, observing their helpless
position, swam to their relief, and succeeded in keeping the
drowning boy above water until picked up by one of the
officers and seamen who
.hastened from the ship in a boat
which was fortunately alongside. Mr Lighton was removed
to the hospital at Dartmouth, where he remained under the
care of Dr Bremer, the surgeon in charge. He is still in a
precarious states, but hopes are entertained of his recovery.
The division at Aldershot, under command of Sir J. L.
Pennefather, 1i.C.8„ formed up on Clavcart-ridge at half-
past 10 o'clock onWednesday morning for field manoeuvres,
and after the usual marchipast was disposed in order of
battle, the 10th Hussars throwing out skirmishers and ad-
vancing to the westward, the Scots Greys being in support,
and the Royal Dragoons forming the reserve of this brigade.
On the recall of the skirmishers, the Hussars advanced in
line at a gallop and halted, the Greys advanced on their
right in the same order, passing the 14th for some distance
before halting, and a troop of the Royal Dragoons was
pushed forward by Major Ainslie at a smart gallop until far
in advance, This troop retired, and the Greys and Hussars
advanced in a line at a trot, changed positions to the south-
ward, and threw out skirmishers. The three brigades of
infantry advanced by brigades in columns in mass, with the
heads of columns in line, at deploying distance, each bri-
gade covered by a line of skirmishers. Generals Taylor and
Russell, commanding the Ist and 3d brigades respectively,
then changed positions to the southward, the latter form-
ing; his right on the left of the 14th Hussars. Brigadier
Ingall, commanding the 2d brigade, also changed positions
to the left, forming the advanced line, which brought him
opposite Gen. Russell, skirmishers covering his front and
throwing in a smart fire. The plan of attack now begins to
develops itself. The Royal Dragoons advanced in line to
the southward, on the left of the infantry, and charged in
splendid style. while the 14th Hussars made a similar dash
on the right of the infantry. As the 14th retired the Greys
came forward and charged over the same ground with equal
impetuosity. At the same time Brigadier Ingall opened a
sharp file fire, and the Rifles, recalled, took up their position
in the brigade. During this time the Artillery was busily
engaged. and made good use of its guns from every point of
vantage, the sound of the incessant discharge mingling with
the sustained fusillade in one continuous din. At this junc-
ture Gen. Russell came into action on the right of Brigadier
Ingall and commenced filo firing. Brigadier Ingall retired
and the Royal Dragoons again charged the enemy. " Cease
firing" was now sounded, and Gen. Taylor could be seen
bringing up his brigade to the front. In the meantime the
1411 Hussars again dashed forward, charged at a tremen-
dous pace, and retired by columns of troops from both
flanks, the Greys immediately charging through the inter-
vals and retiring in like manner. Gen. Taylor's brigade,
having arrived in front, opened a smart fusillade, where a
battery of the Royal Horse Artillery and the Grey Bat-
tery of Artillery on the left and right respectively, kept
up a vigorous cannonade. '' Cease firing" ve,s again
sounded ; and the effect of the operations having been to
drive back the enemy, he was allowed to reoccupy Bricks-
burg-hill, and the water works, where it was determined to
leave him. The army then retired under cover of the
Royal Horse Artillery and a line of skirmishers, while as a
finale, the Royal Dragoons advanced in line to the front of
the infantry at a gallop, and a squadron of the 14th Hussars
dashed on from the right, cutting the " pursuing practice"
in a skilful manner; the enemy, however, again making
offensive demonstrations, the Lieut.-Generals once more
changed position to the westward, the Royal Dragoons
charged on the left, and the division fell back under cover
of the Greys and 14th Hussars, until the original position
on Claycart was gained. The troops were then dismissed
to their quarters.
The 3d Infantry Brigade at Aldershot, under the com-
mand of Major-Gen. Russell, paraded a iew days ago, for
the purpose of presenting a medal for long service and good
conduct, with a gratuity of £l5 to Colour-Scrgt. W. Eager,
39th Regiment. The gallant General made some compli-
mentary remarks upon the meritorious career of the Colour
Sergeant, which were listened to with great attention by the
troops. Ho then alluded to the pleasing duty which devolved
upon himself, and presented the medal and gratuity to the
sergeant amid the customary demonstrations.
The regimental returns at Aldershot just Issued show the
following figure of merit and classification per cent of men
at target practice on the 31st Aug., 1864 :--lst battalion 6th
Regiment—battalion, 94.75; best company, 12083; marks-
men, per cent., 9. 73d Regiment—battalion, 67 92; best
company, 91.68; marksmen, per cent., 3. 62d Regiment—
battalion, 6713; best company, 75.11; marksmen per cent.,
2, 59th Regiment—battalion-56 09 ; best company, 83.70;
marksmen, per cent., 6. 83d Regiment—battalion, 5207 ;
best company, 79.00 ; marksmen, per cent., 4. Ist battalion
14th Regiment—battalion, 4754; best company, 73.26 ;
marksmen, per cent., 5. 75th Regiment—battalion, 44 09 ;
best company, 60'65 ; marksmen per cent., 1. 2d battalion
60th Rifles—battalion, 40.03 ; best company, 44.49 ; marks-
men per cent., nil. The best shots at the same date were,
first period, Private T. Sullivan, 73d Regiment, 67 points ;
second period, second class, Sergeant J. Mason, Ist
battalion 6th Regiment, 53 points ; third period, Ist
class, Colour Sergeant E. Hayles, 2d battalion 60th Rifles,
38 points. Capt. Cockburn's company, Ist battalion 6th
Regiment, shows the highest figure of merit—viz., first
period, 42.10; volley firing, 1913; percentage of first and
third classes, 63.4; difference, first class, 59, total 120.83.
The following appointments have been made at the Ad-
miralty :—Commander W. Codrington to the Warrior—
Robert Towers, second master to the Dromedary—G. C.
Lerken, second master, to the Dee—J. J. Grew head, chief
engineer, to the Procris, for service in Gibraltar yard—
Leonard Heckler, assist.-engineer, to the Victoria and
Albert—and Alfred Smith, clerk, supernumeraoy, to the
Fisgard.

Deatl

Railway,

Metropolitan

The frightful and mysterious death of a young female, at
present unknown, which took place just after midnight at.
the Portland-road station of the Metropolitan Railway,
now that the circumstances connected with it are becoming
more fully developed, tend to the inference that the ocow:-
rence was not one of accident, but of deliberate foul play on
the part of the man who was in deceased's company,. and
who, notwithstanding he must be fully aware of the late
which has befallen her, had not, up to yesterday afterno on,
made his appearance to identify the body. From the ,in-
yeatigations made by Mr Boyle, the summoning officer .of
Marylebone, it appears by the statements of Mr H. Fisher,
of the general manager's office, Itichd. Giddens, the guard,
and the ticket clerk at the Portland-road station, that the
last train from Farringdon-street hto Bishop's-road left the
former precisely at 12 o'clock on Saturday night, and reached
Portland station at 12.12 on Sunday morning. Just before
the train arrived a man, in company with the deceased,
whom the ticket colltctor identifies, came and took two
third-elass tickets for the Edgeware-road station. The train
had arrived, and when he went out of the ticket of& e,
seeing they were both standing on the stairs, he called out
to them that unless they made haste they would be too late.
They then ran down to the platform together. Ide then lost-
sight of them. Giddens, the guard, states that the train.
was in motion, and when he looked down he saw one doo
open and a woman attempting to get into the carriage, ar
a hand either attempting to pull her in or push her o at,
he could not say which. He called out twice to b erg
" You are too late—too late ;" and as he said it the ss3
cond time he saw the woman disappear between the vails
and the platform. At the same moment a man was
seen to run from the train and upstairs to the entrar tee to
the station. At all events the wan who was whin. lief
whether he ran up the stairs or got into the carriage) las not

since been heard of. The body was first found by 11 rilliara
Clarke, a porter at the station, frightfully mutilated-. Iler
right arm was torn from its socket, one of the legs b cciken
two places, the pelvis completely divided, and the entrafie
protruding. Death must have been instantaneousl, and the
body was at once removed to Marylebone Infirmary. The
deceaaed, who was poorlyclad, is a remarkably goc d looking
young woman, about 24 years of age, light brown hair,
neatly plaited over the temples, grey eyes, full act teeth,
rather prominent mouth. She wore a brown and blue striped
crinoline extended by cane, and much darned, elastic side
boots, old white cotton stockings, a red petticoat, up parentlY
made out of window curtains, a black cashmere shawl,
black chip bonnet with lavender and white flowers, the
bonnet-cap black, with blue velvet, and white stars. She
is about five feet five inchest.in height, and instead of
chemise she had a man's shirt on. On her person was found
a number of lead pencils and envelopes.
During the afternoon, yesterday, as no one had identified
the body, and as there is a suspicion of foul play, Mr Tubbs,
assistant overseer, suggested that a photograph of deceased's
face should be taken, as decomposition is fast setting in.
Information has been forwarded to the coroner.