The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-12 00:00:00

Monstrous Sentence of a Court-martial.

A court-martial assembled on board her Maj,-sty,s
ship Victory, in Portsmouth harbour, on Tuesday
morning, to try Charles Thomas, an able seaman,
for that he, on the 27th May last, did behave in an
insubordinate manner, and did use offensive and
threatening language towards John Webb, boat-
swain of her Mjesty's ship Cruiser, whilst pro
seeding in a boat to her Majesty's ship Cruiser.
Toe Court comprised Captain Chamberlain (presi-
dent), Captains Sec, ombe and Hire, and Com-
manders Philip de Saumarez and Pnelps.
Capt. Broadhead pro,::ecated, and Mr. E. Hoskins
sat as officiating Judge Advocate.
From the evidence adduced it appeared that the
prisoner had been on leave to get married, and on
the expiration of his leave he was to return to his
ship (the Plumper) by a liberty boat, which left
shore at eight o'clock, but on his arrival at the start-
ing point, 10 minutes before this time, he found be
was too late, the boat, under the orders of Webb
having already gone. This annoyed him, and being
(as he said in his defence) a little under the influ
ence of liquor at the time, he certainly did use bad
language to Webb when he met with him, but
although the language was very disgusting in its
nature it seemed to be nothing more than the sud-
den ebulition of passion.
The Court adjudged the prisoner to be reduced to
the second class for misconduct, to receive 48 lashes,
to be imprisoned in Winchester Goal, with hard
labour, for two years, and to be discharged from her
Majesty's service with disgrace.
The West Sussex Gazette, in commenting upon
the case, remarks :—" What on earth can all this
mean Are we in England ? Are we living under
a Reign of Terror? Such a sentence is not only
shocking, but positively revolting to the feelings of
every civilised man. It was but a few days since
that we read of the case of a lad who had obtained
leave of absence at Plymouth. He fell into evil
company, and did not return in time to his ship.
The Hoe and Cry was put into operation, anti the
lad was captured. The court-martial sentenced him
to live on board his ship for 15 years, without going
ashore. The lad heard the sentence, went below to
his hammock, and hung himself. Surely this
tyranny in her Majs;sty's navy cannot be right and
proper."

LAW MAKERS AND LAW BREAKERS.—The only
carriage which attempted to break the rank at the
City Ball on Monday night, and enter the position railed
off for the members of the Royal Family was that of our
Home So.:retary of State I The attempt of Sir Georgo's
coachman was, however, preventert 1,3,- the
police, who wer
not reluctl..nt to give their would-be chief a lesson of for-
bearance and patience.— Western Dczay mercury,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

BANK OF FRANCE.

The Monateur of this morning publishes the usual
monthly return of the Bank of France, which
shows the following results, as compared with the
May return :

Cash in hand .
Bank-notes .

DECREASE.

Francs,

27 millions.
. .

Current accounts ...
INCREASE.
Bills discounted, not yet due
Treasury balance

CAPTURE OF PUEBLA.

PARIS, JUNE 12.

The Emperor has received the congratulations of
the Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia,
on the capture of Puebla.
The report of General Forey is not expected to
arrive in Paris until the beginning of July.
On the 18th ult. a division of the French army
was marching on the city of Mexico.
The declaration of the Bishops relative to the
elections, and the letter of the Archbishop of
Tours, have been referred to the Council of State,
on account of there being an abuse of power,

PRUSSIA.

BRESLAU, JUNE 12.

Tile Common Council of Breslau has decided
upon sending a deputation to the King to patition
his Majesty to withdraw the late press ordinance,
and to convoke the Diet.

The Chief Magistrate, Herr Elwanger, opposed
this proceeding most energetically.
The deputation left for Berlin yesterday.
BERLIN, JUNE 12.

Private letters received here from Warsaw to-day,
state that the Commissioners of the Exchequer,
upon examining the Government Treasury in that
city, discovered that Russian bank-notes, Polish
Bends and gold half-Imperials to the amount of
5,000,000 silver roubles had been abstracted. In
their place was left a receipt signed by the Na-
tional Government.

Four officials, and the books in which the num-
bers of the missing bonds were entered, had also

disappeared.
It is said that all the telegraph lines leading
from Warsaw have been destroyed.