The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-30 00:00:00

The Secret of a " Skedaddle !"

In the 43d of his very able series of letters on
" The Arts of Writing, Reading, and Speaking,"
the editor of the Law 7imes takes occasion in the
number of that journal for to-day, to discuss "The
Oratory of the Platform," And we cannot but re-
cognise in the following passage a shadowing forth
of a reason for the speedy panics, such as those
which have so often sent the Federal troops in
coward flight from the field of battle, or in more
familiar phrase, skedaddling. The writer, speak-
ing of a crowd or mob, observes :
" Here it is that you may witness the most striking proofs
of the power of sympathy. No observant and reflectiag
man can doubt the presence and potency of this influence
of mind upon mind, operating through some unknown
medium within certain undefined limits. The proofs are
rife in the records of the past, and may be seen around us
continually. It is an influence, to which, as it
appears to me, sufficient importance has not been
riven by historians, or philosophers and its pre-
sence would probably be found to solve many
problems otherwise inexplicable. That influence seems
to be exercised by mere contact, without communica-
tion through the five senses, and to be multiplied by num-
bers, so that the emotions of all are imparted to each. This
would explain the entire series of those perplexing pheno-
mena which are seen
.in popular phrenzies, delusions, and
manias, and of which a panic will offer the most intelligible
explanation. It is a fact that fear is thus communicated by
some imperceptible influence. An incident that would
not cause a nerve of one man to quiver, will make ten
men turn pale, annihilate the courage of twenty men,
cause a hundred men to run away, and deprive a thousand
men of reason, what is this but fear operating by multipli-
cation of fear ? The small fright felt by each influences,
by sympathy, all the rest, and the result is the accumulated
fear of the entire mass imparting itself to each one and
causing the terror that is not the less real because it is un-
founded. Precisely the same operation that causes panic
is ever at work in all mixed assemblies, influencing them
by other emotions, and so great is it, that even the most
powerful intellects, habitually under the sway of reason,
find it difficult to be resisted."

Naval and Military Intelligence.

PORTSMOUTH, May 29.

The Right Hon; Earl de Grey and Ripon, Sec-
retary of State fa. War, has been continuing his
inspection to-day Ly visiting the various forts and
barracks in this garrison, as well as those in course
of construction at Portsdown-hill. his lordship
also visited the gun-wharf and ordnance establish-
meats, being accompanied during the day by Col.
Gordon, C. 13., commanding Royal Engineers of
south-western district, ana Captain Hall, barrack-
master.

The 92d Highlanders, under the command of
Colonel Lockhart, were preliminarily inspected on
return from foreign service this morning at Gos-
port by Major General Lord W. Paulet, C. 8,, com-
manding south-western district.
The Defence, iron steam-ram, Capt. Phillimore,
went out of harbour this morning and anchored at
Spithead, exchanging salutes with the port-admi-
ral's flag-ship Victory.
The Emerald, screw steam-frigate, Captain A.
Cumming, was undocked from No. 10 this morning,
orders having unexpectedly been received that the
further trials were to be suspended_ She will re-
ship her original screw-propeller, and is ordered to
take in stores and join Itear-Admiral Dacres's
Channel squadron.
The Geyser, paddle-steamer,CommandEr Pechell,
arrived at Spithead with supernumeraries for
Plymouth. She came into the harbour to coal this
afternoon.

WooLwicil, May 29.

The Woolwich division of enrolled pensioners
having completed their annual course of eight days'
drill, assembled on the common at eleven o'clock
this morning, under the command of Major D. H.
Mackinnon ; and after inspection went through a
complete series of battalion and other evolutions,
comprising company and file firing, &c., 16 rounds
of ammunition having been served out to each man.
The division, which contains upwards cf 400 rank
and file, is now in a very efficient state.
The Dee, steam store-vessel, having been under
extensive repairs at this yard for several months;
is now completed for recommission, and proceeded
down the Nore, this day, on a trial trip to test her
engines and machinery, under the direction of Mr.
Banister, of the engineer department, the result
being in every respect satisfactory.
The Balaklava, steam store-vessel, belonging to
the ordnance department, is ordered to leave the
Royal Arsenal to-morrow, with a cargo of war
stores, for home stations, and a complete battery of
68. pounder guns, of the old smooth-bore pattern,
for the defences near Pembroke.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :
Commander Arthur W. Gillett, to the Marlborough•
Lieutenants--Stratford Tuke and John A. F. Lutterell,
to the Excellent.
Midshipman E. M. S. Claremont, to the 11"enge•
Naval Cadet nominated—J. G. M. Field.

Archfeological In-
ENSUING WEEK.—Monday
Ivory—Asiatic, at 3
LITERARY AND SCIENTIE.-IC MEETINGS FOR THE
stituto—Exhibition of Sculpture
7—Architects at 8—" Colour," Mr.
at
.13,
at 2—General Monthly Meet-
ing. at 9—" Caste System,
Lightly--Royal
In;no
hotographic, at B—Engineers,
ing. Tuesday—
°Rre—oyilil Institution, at 3, " Sound,"
c`mversdall• Wednesday, Horticultural promenade
Professor TYa •
4,
latnd2ia:"
—Goofogical, at B. Sandstones of Cromarty," Rev. Dr,
ProfesaszoironTeal
Gorton.
i 4 Section at Moulin-Quignon and Flint Itnple-
-13
Mr. .Prestwich—"Tertiary Shells, Jamaica,"
is,r.
Carrick Moore--" New Fossil Thecidum, Malta," Mr.
Macdonald.
'''"
Society of Arts, at 8, " Results of Interna-
tional s
Exhibition, 1862," Mr. Hawes, Thursday—Royal,
at 4, Election of Fellows. Linnean, at 8, " Monstrosity in
genus Passiflera, Mr, Salter—" Fertilisation of Disa gran-
diflora," Mr. Trimen, Chemical, at 8, " Synthetics,
Methods in Organic Chemistry, M. Marcellini Berthelot.
Antiquarit 5,
at 8. Royal Institution, at 3—" Geology,"
Professor Ansted. Friday, Philological, at 8—" Cultivat-
ing tke Vernacular Keltic Language, British Isles," Rev.
G. C. Geldart. Royal Institution at B—Archazological
Institute, at 4. Saturday—Actuaries, at 3—Annual Ge-
neral—Horticultural—Promenade—Royal Institution, at
3—" Electric Telegraphy," Professor Thomson.—Atile-
11(CUM.

PILGRIMS BY RAILWAY !—Ephesus was enlivened
for some time lately by the presence of a large number of
Armenian pilgrims to the holy tombs at Ephesus, who wow
make their yearly pilgrimage by railway. This pilgrimage
is now acquiring important proportions. On this occasion
it made a very large addition to the weekly returns of Ahe
railway,—Smyrna plaid of 19th inst., just received.

THIRD EDITION

UN OFFICE, SIX O'CLOCK,

The Accident on the London, Brighten, and
South -Coast, Railway.

The following communication has this afternoon
been received from Mr. Frederick Slight, the SSecre•
tary of this Company :
I have at present no more than a formal re-
port of the account, from which it would seem that
the train leaving Brighton at 5 p.m. yesterday•
arrived at Croydon safely, and that the Victoria
portion of it, consisting of 16 vehicles, left Croydon
four minutes late. Nothing occurred until its arrival
within the distant signal ut the Streatham-common
station,when the engine began to ogcillate consider-
ably,and immediately after left the line, turned over
on itssi :e and then exploded, which of course dragged
the carriages off the line, seriously injuring several
of the passengers. Mrs Chilver, of New Burling-
ton-street, was killed, and also two men of the
Grenadier Guards; 20 other soldiers, and seven
other passengers were also more or less injured.
The driver and foreman of the train are both
injured dangerously, but the two guards
escaped. The matter is of course being investigated.
At present the cause does not appear clear, as the
permanent way is believed to have been in good
order, and the engine was one of several constructed
by this company in 1858 for running on this
portion of the railway.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE..—This Day.

CITY BETTING—Tms DAY.
PRIX DE PARIS.
7 to 4 agst Lord Clifden (taken)
3to 1 agst La Toucques (taken)
9 to 2 agst Saccharometer (taken)
100 to 15 agst The Ranger (taken and °tiered)
15 to 1 agst Hospodar (taken)
20 to 1 agst any other (offered)
ASCOT STAKES.
6to 1 agst Captain Crow (taken)
6to 1 agst Rubicon (taken)
7to 1 agst Oldminster (taken)
10 to 1 agst Knutsford (taken)
ROYAL HUNT CUP.
15 to 1 agst Catch'em Alive (taken)
15 to 1 agst Bertha (offered)
20 to 1 agst Umpire (taken)
20 to 1 agst Almacks (taken)
20 to 1 apt Victor (taken)