The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 25, 186%

subjects seem to occupy the most prominent places. Pro-
fessor Archer, the active local secretary of the meeting, and
the head of the Edinburgh Industrial Museum, contributes
a paper on " the Industrial Features of Edinburgh.' The
recent progress and present condition of trades and manu-
factures of various districts of Scotland form the subjects of
numerous papers likely to be of considerable interest.
In the other division of this department discussions are
likely to arise on various punts of international law,
the importance of which is bung daily demonstrated by
the course of public events. We may mention a paper by
Qm;Ce. bylitly to deal with several of
i.lt. D. Chalmers on the
property at sea. An ctlNhal
per
s.t
euJrpaemo
neustrsiAn;noadwneda s
aoolnsf ,o
private
interna-
tionald
r
patent law, an international decimal system, and an
international congress and tritunal for the prevention of
war, form the subjects of papers which have been contri-
buted to this department.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT—Sept. 24.

OLD COURT.
Helen Hannah Margaret Englahart, convicted of an as-
sault upon her child, Constance Augusta, barely five years
old, was brought up for judgment.
Mr. Justice Byles addressing the prisoner, said—You
were put upon your trial yesterday for the manslaughter of
an unprotected infant, of which you were the mother, and
whatever may have been the real facts of the case there was
not sufficient evidence to satisfy the minds of the jury, and
they acquitted you of that offence, You were afterwards
tried for an assault upon the child, and of that you were
found guilty. It is plain that there was a succession of bar-
barous and inhuman acts on your part which I do not say
caused the child's death, but which undoubtedly led to and
accelerated it. It is impossible to pass over an offence of so
grievous a nature, I can well conceive the sufferings you
have endured since the commission of this offence, and I
know that you have been treated by the authorities with a
humanity which you failed to show towards the infant
whose death you have unquestionably hastened. The sen-
tence which I feel it my duty to pronounce on you is that
you be imprisoned for 18 calendar months.

counsel,
_
Earlier in the day Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Ribton, the pri-
Boner'sspite the sentence until after her confinement, she being now
made an earnest appeal to the judge to re-
pregnant. They had been induced, they said, to make that
application in order to save her the unspeakable distress of
mind consequent upon giving birth to a child in a gaol, and
to prevent the stigma that would attach to the infant itself
from that circumstance during life.
Mr. Orridge, counsel for the prosecution, said he had been
instructed by the parish authoritiet3 from a sense of duty, and
he left the latter entirely in his lordship's hands, having no
desire to press unduly on the prisoner.
Mr. Justice Byles said he had consulted the principal offi-
cers of the court, and had not found there was any prece-
dent for such a course as had been suggested. Further than
that, ho had spoken to the surgeon of the gaol, and knew
when her accoucheratnt might be expected to take place.

SECOND COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)

Wm. Pottage, 20, clerk, pleaded guilty to indictments
charging him with feloniously forging upon a certain bill
of exchange, for the payment of money, the acceptance of
ono Win. flew, with intent to defraud, and also with felo-
niously forging upon two bills of exchange the endorsement
of John Henry Weston and Edward Weston, with intent
to defraud.
Mr. Poland, who appeared for the prosecution, said the
charge against the prisoner was that of having forged bills
of exchange, and the circumstances were these :—The pri-
soner went some time in tho present year to a loan office
kept by a Mr. Welfare and gave a bill for £5O, which pur-
ported to have been drawn by Mr. Henry Weston and en-
dorsed by himself. That bill was discounted by
Mr. Wel-
fare. When it became due the prisoner went to Mr. Wel-
fare and asked him to allow it to stand over. This was
refused, and then the prisoner brought another bill, drawn
by himself, and purporting to bo accepted by Mr. Dew, and
with the proceeds of the second bill he paid oil' the £5O upon
the first. Ho was asked to get the second bill endorsed by
Mr. Weston also, He took it away, brought it back with
the name of Mr. Weston endorsed under that of Mr. Dew,
and upon subsequent inquiry it was ascertained that both
these signatures were forgeries. The first bill, in fact, was
forged as well as the second. Though this was the serious
nature of the prisoner's offence, yet Mr. Welfare, who had
been acquainted with him for some years, was anxious, as
far as he could, to recommend hue to the merciful conside-
ration of the Court,
Mr. Sleigh, who was engaged for the defence, expressed
his belief that the case was ono entitled to merciful conside.
ration. The unhappy young
man at the bar was a person of
respectability who at one time held a good position in
society. He unfortunately became a partner with a gentle-
man ; that partnership was dissolved ; he was unable to
obtain a settlement, and ho was reduced in consequence to
the very verge of destitution. Under his (the learned
counsel's) instructions he had very reluctantly pleaded
guilty, because he alleged that he had no intention to de-
fraud at the time he negotiated the bill transactions with
Mr, Welfare. Those who had known him for years would
bear testimony that he had always been an honourable young
calendar
man. Still, there was no doubt that in this instance he had
violated the law, but, after all, his offence did not come
under the category of a commercial forgery.
Witnesses to character having been examined,
The Recorder passed sentence. Ho observedptrhisitntehl:troe
were circumstances connected with the case which induced
him not to inflict a harsh punishment, although the forging
of bills in a great commercial country like England was de-
serving of penal servitude. As it was, he believed the jos.
btioe e
imprisonedo fth e c ase
awould
keptbe mteot I ya r
d sentencinglabour
for th elB
months.

John Smith, 24, sawyer, and Joseph Pemberthy, barge.
men, were indicted for stealing one cask and 50 gallons
same, well knowing them to have
(l i turpentine,ee
ci
fs
o eprh e
c Charlesethe
viPr° PI
thee ra
t rYr i Li nSiroilman,Charles
Priceand others,
and
tJo Queenhithe,
been stolen.
Mr. Giffard and Mr. Starling conducted the case for the
prosecution ; Mr. Sergeantreeh Parry and Mr. F. pi. Lewis
of Sir Ralph turpentine, was
Charles Price, at Blackfriars-bridge, in
de-
fended Harrison; and Mr. Ribton defended Smith. Pem-
berthy was undefended. t
It appeared from the statement of counsel and the evi-
dence in the case that on the 24th of June
last a quantity
amongoorfdgeoroedds'tobo co othersn vconveyed
y e d
a fromcask
of I'n
the
premises
one of the Steam
Navigation Company'', vessel down the river. The cask
was lowered with the other goods into a lighter, It weighed
4 cwt., and as it appeared to be lying safe in the lighter it
was not considered necessary that it should be watched. On
the 25th of Juno it had disappeared. It was stolen on the
night of the 2ith or
early on the morning of the 25th.
Shortly after the robbery was effected the prisoners Smith
and Pemberthy were found dealing with the property, sell-
ing it and receiving sacney for it. They were seen lurking
about in the neighbourhood of the wharf where the lighter
was moored. The case against Harrison differed entirely
from that against the other two prisoners. His offence con-
sisted in receiving the property with a knowledge that it
had been stolen. He carried on business as an oil and colour
man in Queenhithe, somewhere opposite the residence of
the Lord Mayor. His concern was not very extensive, as
was proved by the circumstance that he only employed a
boy in his office. In consequence
of information received
by the police the officers visited his premises and found the
cask of turpentine in his cellar, Persons passing along the
street could see the end of the cask for several days after it
was received, when another cask containing petroleum was
placed over it; but it was contended that this visibility did
not tell in favour of the prisoner, inasmuch as the identifi-
cation of the cask from the footpath was a matter of utter
impossibility. It was alleged by
the learned counsel, but
the statement was not afterwards borne out in evidence,
that Harrison said he bad in the first instance given £l6 for
the cask, and afterwards that he had paid only £l2 10s. for
it, the real value being £25; and the
question of his guilt
turned mainly upon the question as to the parties from
whom he had purchased it, The counsel for the prosecu-
tion relied upon the fact that ha was alleged to have bought
it from the other two prisoners, who were known to be '
acting as labourers about the docks, and for a sum of money
amounting to only about half its actual value, for proof
that he must have purchased it with a knowledge that it
had been dishonestly obtained.
At th© close of the case for the prosecution
Mr. Itibton addressed the jury on the part of Smith,
submitting that there was nothing approaching to evidence,
certainly not sufficient to warrant them in finding him
guilty. 1
He then called witnesses to character.
Mr. Sergeant Parry submitted that no evidence what-
ever had been adduced in support of the charge against
Harrison.

The Recorder, having carefully looked over his notes,
agreed in opinion with the learned serjeant. On the con-
said that the opening statement of the learned
u for the prosecution was unsupported by the testi-
monyetro arny, he
s,
counsel
othe witnesses, because it now appeared that the
prisoner never had made any declaration to the effect that
he purchased the cask either for £l6 or for £l2 10s.
Mr. Sergeant Parry observed that there were several per-
sons in court who had known Harrison all his life, and who
were willing to boar testimony that he had sustained through-
out a most irreproachable character. The Lord Mayor, for
instance, was ready to come forward and give evidence to
that effect.

The Recorder—lf it had been proved that he knew the
exact position in life of the other two prisoners, from whom
he is said to have made the purchase, it would have made a
great difference in the case.
Mr. Sergeant Parry—But there is no evidence that he
knew anything whatever about them.

The Recorder—Undoubtedly there is not.
Under the direction of the Court a verdict of Not Guilty
in the case of Harrison was hero taken, and the prisoner left
the court with his friends.
The other two prisoners were found Guilty of the rob-
bery, and several previous convictions were proved against
Pemberthy.

The Recorder sentenced Pemberthy to six, and Smith to
five years' penal servitude.

Claude Cole, 16, s9ryant, Was indicted fyr ftloniow,ly

setting fire to a rick of stubble, the property of Wm. Gid-
dings, of Smith Minnie.
At the time of the fire the prisoner was discovered at
about 20 yards' distance from the rick. At first he denied
that he was the incendiary, and endeavoured to throw the
blame upon a man with a straw hat who was seen to cross
the fields, but subsequently he acknowledged the offence,
and said he had been driven by the force of the pangs of
hunger to consume the property. When apprehended he
requested the officer not to let his father know anything
about his being concerned in so disgraceful a transaction.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
The Recorder asked in what capacity as a servant the
prisoner had hitherto acted?
Prisoner—As a gentleman's page.

The Recorder thought the case a strange one, and inti-
mated that some inquiries would be made into the prisoner's
circumstances and family connections before sentence was
pronounced. Re then respited the judgment until next ses-
sions,

THIRD COURT.
(Before the Common Sergeant.)

William Smith and Thomas Allum surrendered to take
their trial on an indictment charging them with violently
assaulting and inflicting personal injuries upon William
Thomas and Benjamin Woodnutt.
Mr. Lo Breton prosecuted ; and the defendants were re-
presented by Mr. Sleigh, with whom was Mr. Orridge.
The inquiry into this case occupied the attention of the
Court and jury for a considerable time,. but the facts may
be briefly narrated. On the part of the prosecution it was
alleged that the prosecutors, who are barge builders residing
in Rotherhithe, and in the same employ, after leaving their
work on the night of Saturday, the 25th of July, went to
their homes and remained there until about 10 o'clock,
when they proceeded to the residence of the prosecutor
Woodnutt's mother, in Millpond-street, where they partook
of supper and one glass of beer each. They were returning
home when the two defendants, who were on duty in plain
clothes, csme up to them, and, as alleged, using most coarse
language, said that they had been long on the watch for
them, and that they would lock them up. The men Thomas
I and Woodnutt at once denied that they were the characters
the defendants had imputed to them, and eventually Thomas
was knocked down by the defendant Smith, and Woodnutt
by Allum. The prosecutors were followed to the residence
of Thomas, but not by the defendants, who, on alarm being
given by the prosecutors, ran away. The prosecutors were,
however, followed to the residence of the mother of Thomas,
and there taken into custody by a policeman named
Lamb, on- the charge of being drunk, disorderly, and
having assaulted the police. The prosecutors wore locked
up on the charges, but subsequently bailed out, and on the
case being heard by Mr, Traill, at the Greenwich Police-
court. the charge was dismissed after a long investigation.
The allegation on the part of the prosecution was that both
the prosecutors had been seriously injured by the defend-
ants ; and this was the point at issue.
Mr. Sleigh, for the defendants, said he was in a condition
to negative the assertion that his clients had been guilty of
the violence imputed to them. The defendants had been
long in the service, and by good conduct had been raised to
rho position of detective officers. It would be shown that a
row had taken place in Dockhead, Rotherhithe, at which it
was supposed the prosecutors had taken part, and were con-
sequently watched and eventually taken into custody on the
charge of riotous conduct and assaulting the pollee-officers.
They were charged in proper form, and then never insinu-
ated that they had been assaulted by the present defendants
On behalf of the defendants a host of witnesses were
called, all members of the same division of police, with a
view to show that the prosecutors were intoxicated, and
that they had been concerned in a row at Dockhead, which
was negatived by the witnesses for the prosecution.
Inspector Moore deposed that he was on duty at the sta-
tion-house when the prosecutors were charged, and that
they were then both intoxicated,.and made no mention of
having been assaulted by the defendants.
The Common-Sergeant, in summing up, said that this
was one of the most remarkable cases ho had ever had to try.
The question involved was ono of a very important character,
and he warned the jury to be cautious, as there was evi-
dently strong partizanship, and it was perfectly clear that
one party er the other had committed perjury.
The jury, after a very brief deliberation, returned a ver••
diet of guilty, but at the same time coupled their verdict
with a recommendation to mercy on the ground of the good
character they had received ; and the jury also expressed an
opinion that they thought the defendants had mistaken the
prosecutors for other persons who had been concerned in a
disturbance or riot at Dockhead.

The Common Sergeant asked the police whether they had
heard anything about the row at Dockhead, and they said
there had been nothing of the kind ; and then turning to the
jury, the learned Judge asked them whether they remained
of the same opinion as to the defendants being mistaken as
to the prosecutors being concerned in the riot.
The foreman of the jury said, after the evidence they had
heard, they should alter their verdict, and simply find the
defendants guilty.
The Common Sergeant, in passing sentence, said the de-
fendants had been guilty of a very serious offence, and in
proportion as power was given to the police, the Court was
bound to pass a sentence commensurate upon any officer who
abused the power placed in him. The power vested in the
police placed the public very much at their mercy, and the
act which they had committed was an exceedingly gross one.
He always passed severe sentences upon those convicted of
assaulting the police, and he should now pass a severe sen-
tence upon police officers, and that sentence was that they
be kept to hard labour in the House of Correction for the
term of 18 calendar months.

With this case the business of the session terminated,
and the Court was adjourned to Monday, the 26th October

FRENCH COLONIAL EXHIBITION.

The Moniteur publishes a report addressed to the Minister
of Marine and the Colonies by the Committee of the Per-
manent Exhibition of the Colonies, giving an account of the
operations in 1862, which consisted chiefly in preparing for
the Universal Exhibition in London. The committee express
themselves highly satisfied with the reception given to
French colonial products by the jury of the Exhibition, as
well as by the English press, and then proceed to enumerate
the success of eachl..colony as follows :—Gukdaloupe (17
medals, 12 honourable mentions).--This colony exhibited
sugar, coffee, cocoa, rum, textile substances, and
salt, all of which the jury considered of superior
quality, but their attention was chiefly directed to
the cotton, of which the long-stapled was valued at 5f
per kilogramme, and the short stapled at 2f 50c. This latter
description is especially remarkable for its abundant yield,
and being less suoject to the attacks of insects than the
Georgian. It will also grow on almost any soil, and is well
adapted for all ordinary fabrics. Martinique (13 medals,
three honourable mentions).—The sugar, cocoa, and rum of
this colony were found excellent, as was likewise its coffee,
which the jury considered fully equal to its long-established
reputation, and expressed their regret that its cultivation
should have diminished of late years. Guiana (14 medals,
17 honourable mentions).—None of the French colonists
presented such a variety of products as this. They com-
prise fine timber for shipbuilding, coffee, cotton, annotto,
fruit, and seeds yielding oil, &c. The cotton was an indige-
nous species, of a long and fine staple, estimated to be
woi;th from 4f 50c to 50f per kilogramme. St. Pierre and
Miquelon (two medals, two honourable mentions).—These
islands exhibited the produce of their fisheries, consistingof
cod and other fish cured in various ways, isinglass, cod liver
oil, white and brown, all of which were considered quite
equal to the best English and Norwegian products of the
same kind. West Coast of Africa (eight medals).—The
French possessions in Senegal, the Gold Coast of Gabon
exhibited ground-nuts, gum, gold, ostrich feathers, tanning
substances, cabinet wood, palm oil, copper, ivory, ebony,
and sandal wood. A short-stapled cotton-growing wild in
Senegambia was exhibited, and also specimens of jumel
cotton recently introduced there, which was estimated at 4f
50e per kilogramme. Reunion (24 medals, 13 honourable
mentions).—This colony may wall be proud of its success.
Its sugars were especially remarked, and were judged fully
equal to those of the Mauritius. The vanilla of this island
was found excellent, as was also the cotton. Magotte and
dependencies (one medal, two honourable mentions).—This
island bad few exhibitors, chiefly of sugars, in which the
jury noticed considerable improvement since 1855. Mada-
gascar (one medal).—The principal articles exposed were
timber, cabinet-woods, cotton, rocella, and the silk of the
bombyx radama.—lndia (nine medals, six honourable men-
tions).—Thanks to the efforts of the local committee of
Pondicherry, the French possessions in India made a
very respectable figure, even beside the vast display from
Bengal. The jury highly appreciated the show of rice,
medicinal and auctorial plants, cocoa nut oil, &c. As
to the cotton, it was valued at 6f 25c to 8f 75c per kilo-
grsmme, and was admitted to be superior to that from
British India. New Caledonia (six medals, six honourable
mentions).—The wool from this colony was found equal to
the best Australian, and proves that the rearing of sheep
on a large scale would soon make this a rich colony. The
specimens of sugar and coffee were especially noticed by the
Australian Commissioners, and New Caledonia is admirably
situated for supplying the great English colony with those
articles. Cotton, resins, bark, sandal-wood, timber, and
cocoa-nut oil were also exhibited. Tahiti (three medals,
two honourable mentions) —The productions of these islands
attracted much notice from the commercial men of all coun-
tries, and were considered very superior to those shown in
1855. Cochin China (one medal,two honourable mentions)
—This country exhibited rice, cotton, silks, dye-woods,fish,
swallow's-nests, and many other Eastern delicacies. This
collection was examined with extraordinary interest. Tho
report concludes with expressing the conviction of the com-
mittee that France has every reason to be satisfied with the
success of her colonies at this great International Exhibition.

[ADVERTISEMENT].—HoIIoway's rms.—Disorders of
the kidneys, known by the deeply-seated pain in the back
and scanty secretion of water, can be arrested in their dis-
tressing and rapid course by these regulating Pills. Their
highly tonic and strengthening properties prevent the im-
poverishment of the blood and the derangement of circula-
tion characteristic of kidney disease, often ending in par-
tial or general dropsy. Experience has proved the almost
unvaried success obtained when Holloway's Pills are taken
in the earlier stages, and the ease they afford when the
complaint is more advanced. They relax the hot and
parched akin, overcome the attendant costiveness, and in .
duce a copious secretion of the kidneys, which are the
harbingers of disease departing and 13231t11 returning,

SPIRIT OF THE rtnnia JOURNALS.

TIMES.--It is not easy to say whether the nego-
tiations between the three Western Powers and the
Emperor of Russia are actually concluded for the
present year. There may still be something to say,
some admialon to seize on, some repartee to retort,
some damaging Itrasudo to explain away, but for
all that the controversy is 'virtually at an end. It has
been reduced to its ultimate terms and conditions, a
distinct divergency of opinion has been manifested,
and words at least can carry the case no further.
The appeal, if appeal there is to be, lies evidently
to that ultimate reason which is no reason at all,
but the arbitrament of brute force, the shock of con-
tending Powers. The point of departure was, indeed,
simple enough. The Western Powers appealed to the
stipulations of the Treaty of 1815, and contended
that those stipulations had been violated. Founding
themselves on this view, they proceeded to require
from Russia the compliance with six demands on
behalf of the Poles, and an armistice for the pur-
pose of discussing these terms more at liserty.
Nothing could be more masterly as a specimen of
diplomatic fence than the manner in which Russia
dealt with her powerful and importunate adversaries.
She took a thoroughly clear and comprehensive view
of her own position. The Polish revolt, though its
causes lay deep in the crimes and calamities of a
whole century, broke out with a suddenness and vio-
lence unexpected alike by Poles and Russians, and
attributable to no profound calculation, but to a
sense of intolerable wrong and outrageous tyranny.
It found the nation unprepared, as has been suffi-
ciently proved by the event, not only to repel foreign
intervention but even to deal with the ill-organised
and ill-combined efforts of unarmed and undisci-
plined Poland. The first great nectesity of Russia
was time—time to bring up her troops from the
vast and gloomy solitudes over which Oey were
scattered—time to repair her fortifications, to re-
mount her cavalry and artillery, and to reorgac:;.se
her means of defence, so rudely shattered by the
terrible storm of the Crimean War. With this
clear view of her own interests and necessities
Russia acted. The first efforts of Western diplo-
macy she received with smiles and courtesy ; she
was anxious for an interchange of ideas, she was
willing to be convinced, she was ready to be per-
suaded; she led England, France, and A, -trio, 1,1
commune among themselves at to
the terms which were to be -

all this diplomatic courtesy dia.
vent her from pushing on the as.
ruthless energy and wreaking on her prises...__. .
most inexorable vengeance. The heart of Russia was
bleeding metaphorically for Poland, while Poland,
without any metaphor at all, was bleeding from
every pore. At last the time came when it was im-
possible any longer to defer an answer to the de-
mand of the Western Powers. The summer was by
this time far advanced, and the period for active
operations was rapidly passing away. The time had
arrived when the veil might be safely lifted, and it
was lifted accordingly. As to the interpretation of
the Treaty of 1815, Russian diplomatists remarked
that a treaty was a document which it was open to
every one to interpret as they pleased ; but that the
interpretation of the Emperor was the one by,
which ho intended to abide. According to that in-
terpretation, the affairs of Poland were matters of
internal government which could not be submitted
to any foreign State ; the Europea❑ Congress was
therefete refused. The pacification of Poland was
a condition necessarily anterior to any improvement
in her condition, and for that reason the offer of an
armistice was politely declined. The whole despatch
was written with a charming candour, a flowing and
elaborate courtesy, which provoked, as of course it
was intended to do, a renewal of the controversy.
Austria and the Western Powers, atter much con-
aid nation of the respective merits of separate or
identical Notes, prepared elaborate answers to the
reasoning of Prince Gortschakoff's answer, the re-
ceipt of which was, we doubt not, agreeable to him,
and the reply a labour
.of love. Russia has gained
help ; her preparations for war are advancing
rapidly towards completion, the spirit of her people
is rising, the Polish rebellion has undergone some
terrible " reverses, and tho winter is coming, to
which Russia trusts to deprive the miserable in-
surgents of shelter, of food, and of the means of con-
cealment from an enemy who is every day press-
ing them more closely, and bringing up the
resources of half the world to accelerate their inevi-
table ruin. Now, therefore, Russia is able to speak
out, and she speaks with all the arrogance of
other days, and takes up a position which she ob-
viously does not intend to yield to any argument,
however cogent. The Treaty of 1815 does certainly
contain clauses by which the Emperor Alexander
does engage to give a Constitution to Poland ; but
that Treaty is to be interpreted, Russia asserts, with
reference to the ideas and state of things prevailing
at the time it was concluded. Armed with this
weapon, Russia proceeds to argue that at the time
of the conclusion of the Treaty of 1815 Russia held
Poland by right of conquest, and that the mere an-
nouncement of the benevolent intentions of the
Emperor Alexander in the Treaty did not give
Europe:the right to interfere in the interior affairs
of Russia—that is, to urge anything in behalf
of Poland. This claim renders all further discussion
of the Treaty of 1815 superfluous, and leaves the
Western Powers no choice between a tame sub-
mission to the astonishing pretensions of Russia and
a European war. Russia was willing to argue on
the basis of the right's conferred by the Treaty of
Vienna so long as such argument could serve the
purposes of delay. Those purpcses being now fully
served, she flings aside the question of the rights
conferred by the Treaty of Vienna altogether, and
boldly claims that whatever those rights may be
there is no European Power that can justly claim to
enforce them. Such is the conclusion to which
matters have been brought, and such are the laurels
which we have reaped in the diplomatic campaign
of 1863. France is taunted with her inconsistency
in denouncing the Treaty of 1815 as framed in a
spirit incompatible with her dignity and her inte-
rest, while she is at the same time pressing upon
Russia, in behalf of Poland, the execution of that
very Treaty. Every one remembers how at the close
of the Crimean War France sought to conciliate
Russia at the expense of those very interests for the
sake of which the war was undertaken. We have
now a proof of the extent to which that policy has
been successful. The truth is that that narrow but
fervent spirit of patriotism which has reconciled
the Russian nation to so many sacrifices and so
many miseries is once more aroused, and that
projects of social, political, and economical re-
form are willingly postponed by the people to a de-
sire to try conclusions once more with the power of
Imperial France. We must rest our hopes for peace
evidently more on the moderation of the French than
on that of the Russian Government. In the mean-
time the object has been gained, and Poland is
handed over for another six months, without a pos-
sibility of relief, to the Power against which she is
so bravely and so vainly struggling.

POST.—We have more than once directed the at-
tention of our readers to the breach of neutrality
involved in the course pursued by Lord Russell, at
the instigation of Mr. Adams, in regard to the ves-
sels supposed to be building for the Government of
the Confederate States. It is impossible to doubt
that that course has been dictated by one of two
motives, either of them utterly unworthy of an
English statesman. Either Lord Russell acts under
an abject fear of a quarrel with the North, or under
the influence of a vehement and unscrupulous, as
well as absurdly !impolitic, partially towards the
Federal cause. It may be that he has been so
wrought upon by the threatening tone of Mr.
Seward as to be really afraid of war, and willing
to submit to the servile compliances exacted of him
in the hope of avoiding it. may be that the old
traditions of his party—tradraicns of lukewarm
loyalty to England, and of warm sympathy with
colonial rebe's and foreign enemies—still sway his
mind, and incline him to the cause espoused with
greater openness by the democratic leaders below
the Ministerial gangway. It is quite certain that
he is not acting with honestly neutral intentions;
that he does not believe that either the law of na-
tions or the law of England, or any previous under-
standing with the United States, bind him to pre-
vent the trade in armed ships, or in ships unarmed
and the means to arm them. International law
allows trade to be as free in time of war as in time
of peace, subject only to the right of belligerents to
capture on the high seas vessels either bound for a
blockaded port, or carrying contraband of war
directly to the enemy's coasts. All that is for-
bidden to a neutral country is to make its ports the
starting point of belligerent expeditions. This
again, is all that the Foreign Enlistment Act, eo far
as it applies to ships, was intended to prevent.
That act does not touch the case of ships sent out
neither armed nor equipped nor fitted out for hos-
tilities; nor does it touch the case of ships sold to a
neutral. Nor, whatever the provisions of that act,
is he bound to enforce it unless he pleases. He has
shown this by his conduct in the case of the Geri-
baldian Legion, and more recently by his refusal to
order the prosecution of Lieut. Styles of that force,
who was taken in flagrante delicto, attempting to
raise recruits for the secret committee which directs
the Polish insurrection. It is within his discretion
to enforce it or not as he thinks fit; only it is clear
that he nas no right to enforce it against one bel-
ligerent and not against the other, as he is doing at
present. He is in no way obliged to enforce it by
any agreement, expressed or implied, with the
United States. The Canadian rebels were assisted
by American recruits, armed from the Government
stores. The Russians during the Crimean war
received an armed vessel from an American port,
which, by confession of the Americans themselves,
was protected from search and capture by their
cruisers. And the American cflurts have decided

that it is lawful for American citizens to build, arm
and equip men of war for a foreign Power, provided::
they do not themselves intend to use such vessels to
commit hostilities against Powers with which the
Union is at peace. Nay, when the Union was at
peace with Spain an American ship, with Ameri-
can captain and crew, was making war on Spanish
commerce under the flag of Buenos Ayres, and the
Federal Court declared her enterprise legitimate..
There is, therefore, no sort of compulsion, legal or
equitable, municipal or international, binding our
Government to present British shipwrights from
supplying ships of war, as they supply cannon, to
either belligerent. And, therefore, it seems as cer-
tain and clear as any question of public law can be,
that to prevent the Confederates from buying in
our markets that of which they have pressing need
while we allow the Federals to purchase every-
thing which they require, is a scandalous violation
of neutrality. If we had any treaty with America
binding us to enforce the Foreign Enlistment Act,
or if its enforcement were compulsory by its own
terms, there would be a complete answer in law, i.f
not in honour, to all Federal complaints on this
score; but as the fact stands there is none.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

b.,

MANCHESTER-THURSDAY.

At our market this morning there was a good attendance
of buyers, and the tone of the trade was steadier than for
the past few days. The demand for new English wheat
was moderate. at about a reduction of is per qr. American.
slow, at a decline of 2d to 3d per 100 lb on the prices of this
day se'nnight. Flour inactive, at is per sack and barrel
lower. Oats receded Id per 451 b, and new oatmeal presed
at is to 2s per load. Indian corn gave way Gd per qr. New
English and Egyptian beans were each Os to is per qr
lower.

BIRMINGHAM—THURSDAY.
English wheat was sold at 44s to 488 for white, and 400
to 44s per:36 stone for red. Barley, new malting, 36s to
42s per qr; grinding, 26s to 308 Oats, old, 24s to 300
per 30 stone ; Irish, 21s to 255. Beans, 408 to 44s per qr.
l'eas, 36s to 448 per 36 stone.