The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MOND-AY -EVENING. ttilltUAßY 23, 1863.

charged w,
humanity, and who -
the cruel object of crushing
that the laws of GOD and man alik

check

to protect ? Really there sever will be an.,
to crime while such extraordinary notions prevail
in regard to criminals as abound nowadays, and
exercise such a pernicious influence on men from
whose sense and good feeling we should have ex-
pected better things. It would be well if the
Attorney-General and those who followed him in op-
posing this measure had looked from the immediate
object to the ultimate consequences, and have turned
their attention from the prisons, where the offenders
were to be treated with such leniency, to the homes
where the injured wife and cruelly treated child
were languishing. How encouraging for the con-
victed was it to know that Parliament will not in-
crease the punishment for their offences however
aggravated they may be, how sad for the victim,
to be told that care and consideration can only in-
fluence law-makers so far as they appertain to
the treatment of evil doers. Nothing could have
been more temperate than the means suggested
by Lord RAYNHAM. After expressing his regret
that his numerous efforts to amend the law had
not as yet succeeded, he urged the desirability of
giving to magistrates the power of inflicting cor-
poral punishment on persons convicted of aggravated
assaults on women and children. In consideration
of the many adverse opinions on this subject, how-
ever, both in the house, and out of doors, his lord-
ship only proposed that the extreme penalty should
be inflicted on those who were convicted for the
third time. Mr. BENTINCK, in supporting the
measure, made a very sensible speech, and the
smartness of his repartees must have been any-
thing but pleasant to the Attorney-General. He
advised the hon. and learned member who ob-
jected so strongly to the reintroduction of any
bill into the House to turn his attention to the
members below the gangway, who were con-
stantly in the habit of bringing in the bills that
had been rejected. The remarks of the hon, and
learned member might be applied also to a new
Reform Bill. Mr. BENTINCK considered that
" there were people who could only be
taught the enormity of their conduct, and
the necessity of reforming by physical suffering."
Although again unsuccessful in his laudable efforts,
it must be a satisfaction to Lord RAYNHAM to have
entered anew his protest against such unseemly
violence on one hand, and such insufficient means
of checking it on the other. Many other questions
of more importance than this one, estimable as are
its ends, have had to be fought for, again and again,
until the good sense of the community at last has
insured their success. So it will doubtless prove in
this instance, but in the meantime great merit is
due to Lord RAYNHAM for his praiseworthy per-
sistence in these endeavours to succour the feeble
and oppressed. To help those who cannot help
themselves, and to use every effort to rescue
the tyrannised over and trampled upon is
a worthy motive for exertion, and one with
which Englishmen have ever been ready to sym-
pathise. It is the lasting honour and abiding merit
of Lord SHAFTESBURY that he devoted so much
time and labour for the protection of females and
children, and his efforts, though slighted and op
posed at first, were at last successful, and have
proved of great benefit to those concerned. Lord
RAYNHAM may be encouraged by his example to pro-
ceed in a like worthy course, and we trust that the
day may not be far distant when the voice of reason
shall prevail to make justice more efficient in put-
ting down cruelty, which is one of the most revolt-
ing crimes that can disgrace humanity, and for
which those most prone to make excuses forcriminals
can find no excuse, and urge no extenuating cir-
cumstances.

FRANCE.

It is stated that Mr. Charles Kean purposes
shortly to visit Australia ; and at the approach of the cool
season to extend his trip to India, where he proposes to give
a series of Shaksperian readings.

A French version of " Macbeth," by M. Jules
Lacroix, has just been produced at the Odeon Theatre, in
Paris. Its success is said to have been decided. "Romeo
and Juliet," translated by Alexander Dumas, is also about
to be brought out shortly at the Theatre Francais.
THE ACTON MURDER.—At the Hammersmith
Police-court, on Saturday, the two brothers, Joseph
and Isaao Brooks, charged with the murder of a policeman
at Acton, and Jane Lake, charged as an accessory after
the fact, were finally examined before Mr. Dayman. The
prisoners were committed for trial, and conveyed to New-
gate.

TRIAL OF A NEW TRACTION ENGINE.--On Satur-
day afternoon•a number of eminent engineers and
scientific men assembled at Rochester for the purpose of
witnessing some experiments made with a new traction en-
gine, manufactured by the firm of Messrs. Aveling and Por-
ter, of Rochester, the patentees. The engine selected for
the trial was one of several which are now being manufac-
tured for the Yudanamutana Copper and Mining Company,
Australia. Shorly after one o'clock the engine started flout
the factory at Strood with four heavy waggons attached,
each laden with baulks of timber, the total weight of each
waggon, with its freight, being close upon five tons. With
this load the engine traversed the narrow streets of Strood,
turning the sharp angle at the turnpike and ascending a
long incline of about 1 in 12, for upwards of a mile, at a
speed of five miles an hour. The engine was then turned
towards a hill with a rise of 1 in B—the steepest of the kind
in the neighbourhood—and, notwithstanding the exceed-
ingly soft, sloppy state of the road, ascended to the top with
the train of waggons at the rate of about three miles an
hour. After travelling some distance at speeds varying
from three to six miles an hour, the engine and train de-
scended the long inclines, and again reached the turnpike
roads, where two more heavily laden waggons were at-
tached, swelling the weight, with the engine, to upwards of
40 tons. Once more the engine was started, and, without
the least apparent difficulty, it dragged its load over every
variety of ground and through the streets, arriving at the
factory at about five o'clock, after an absence of about three
hours. The engine experimented upon was one of nominally
10 horse power, and was the first traction engine which ever
ascended a gradient of the steepness of that passed over on
Saturday with such a heavy weight. It is the intention of
the company to send out 20 similar engines to Australia for
the purpose of transporting the copper from their mines to
the port, a distance of 120 miles, over an unbeaten tract of
land. The cost of carriage is now £lO per ton, but by the use
of these engines it will be reduced to £2 per ton. The trials
on Saturday were considered very satisfactory by those pre-
sent, several of the most eminent engineers, pronouncing
the new traction engine in every respect the best yet con-
structed.

TICKETS OF LEAVE.—A Parliamentary paper
just issued upon this subject gives the number of
prisoners released on tickets of leave in Great Britain dur-
ing the last three years, and the number of " licence
holders" subsequently re-convicted. In 1860 the number of
convicts released on licence was 1,047, and 109 licence
holders were re-convicted, of whom 32 had been released
during the year. In 186 i there were 2,069 convicts re-
leased on licence, and 183 re-convicted, of which number
141 were released in 1860 and 1861. In 1862 2,297 con-
victs were released on license ; 285 were re-convicted, and
of that number 253 were released during the years 1860,
1861, and 1862. The return gives also the number of pri-
soners released on ticket of leave in Ireland during the
three years ending June 30, 1862, to have been—males,
505; and females, 219 ; total, 724. The number re •con-
victed during that period was 51 males and 20 females,
giving a total of 71._

-
ST. THOMAS'S HOSPITAL.--The adjourned meet-
ing of the governors of Bethlehem Hospital, held on Fri-
day, the 20th inst., Alderman Copeland in the chair, it was
resolved after a very warm discussion That the propo-
sition for purchasing Bethlehem Hospital by St. Thomas's
Hospital should be entertained."
It is stated that the Government have agreed to
bring in a bill to legalise a holiday for Saturday, the 7th of
March, the day for the arrival of the Princess Alexandra.
There appear at present in Paris no less than 576
journals and periodicals; among them 50 Moniteurs.
There is a lifoniteur de la Coiffure, a lioniteur de la Cot-
donderte, &c. There is also a Joural des Commtssatres de
Police, and a Journal de la Gendarmerie.
THE FRENCH RHADAMANTELITS.—My great
grandmother, said an old royalist, my grandmother,
and my great aunt were guillotined on the same day. My
great grandmother was 90 years old. When interrogated
she begged them to speak louder, as she was deaf.
"Ecrivez,"T said. Fouquier Tinville, "quo la citoyenne
1\ °allies a conslar6 sourdement contro la Republique."

LLIGENCE
'+h outraging the better feelings of
LATEST INTE
have exerted their strength for
•
the weak and helpiesa [REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]
nail upon them •

MEDITERRANEAN and BOMBAY MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 23,

The Peninshlar and Oriental Company's steamer
Delta, Captain Cook, with the heavy portion of the
above mails, has arrived. She has 31 passengers)
amongst whom are Lieut.-Col. M'Caskill, Major
Sandwith, Major Robinson, from Bombay; and
Colonel Somerset, from Gibraltar.
The Delta has on freight three packages specie,
value £386; also 492 bales silk, 21 boxes valuables,
40 cases Indian shawls, 228 eases oranges, 10 casks
wine, 560 boxes dates, 32 packages sundries, and
1,400 bales damaged silk saved from the wrecked
steamer Colombo.

The Delta experienced to Malta fine weather
thence to Gibraltar strong easterly winds and high
seas. At the latter port she was detained 12 hours,
in consequence of a heavy gale. Thence to South-
ampton light breezes and fine.
His Imperial Majesty's transport Perdrix was
still at Alexandria. Her Majesty's ship Marl-
borough and Alacrity, and the Peninsular and
Oriental Company's steamer Ceylon were at Malta;
and at Gibraltar, the Redpole, Virago, Procris, and
transport Supply. The Ellora, with the outward
mails of the 12th, arrived at Gibraltar on the even-
ing of the 16th, and sailed for the eastward on the
17th inst.

The Spanish journals contain accounts of the
African settlement of Melilla. The disputes be-
tween the frontier Moors and the garrison had
entirely ceased. The Moorish work called the
" Lena," which had formerly been a source of serious
annoyance, had been destroyed under the direction
of the Spanish engineers, and many of the Moors
had been taken into Spanish pay and employed in
the new Spanish fortifications.
The American steamship Chippewa arrived at
Cadiz on the 12th inst.

The members of the Caipe Hunt, at Gibraltar,
gave a farewell dinner to Col. j'aulett Somerset on
the 13th inst. Amongst the company present were
his Excellency the Governor and Major-Gen. Sir
Robert Walpole, K.C.B.
The British steamer Thessalia, eight days from
Liverpool, the steamer Thames, nine days 'from
Middlesboro', the steamer Dom Pedro, 16 days
from Glasgow, her Majesty's storeship Supply,
seven days from Plymouth, the brig Robertson,
35 days from Newcastle, the steamer Christina,
seven days from Liverpool, steamer Neptune, 11
days from Middlesboro', the steamer Alabama,
seven db.ys from Liverpool, had severally arrived
out at Gibraltar since last advices.

Gibraltar exchanges were quoted :—On London,
90 days' date, 50s 8d; Paris, 5f 31c; Brussels, 5f
31c; Marseilles, 5f 30c; Genoa, 5f 31c; Madrid, 8
days' sight, / prem. ; Cadiz, die.; Seville, / dig.;
Malaga, par; Barcelona, 4 prem. ; Almeira, par.;
Valencia, 1 prem. ; Alicante, dis. Premium on
five-franc pieces, t per cent. in demand, Freights
without change.

BERNE, ►SUNDAY.

It is asserted that a portion of the Polish re-
fugees intend to offer to Count Walewski the
throne of Poland should the kingdom be recon-
stituted.

PARIS, FEB. 23.

The Conatztutionnel of to-day, in an article
signed by its secretary, M. Boniface, says—" One
cannot but be astonished at the excitement which
has been produced on the Bourse of Paris by the
news of the conclusion of a treaty between Prussia
and Russia. The comments of the press on this
subject have given rise to exaggerated fears. Up
to the present time the French Government has
done nothing beyond entering into communication
with the Cabinet of London in order to agree
upon the course that should be followed in this
matter."

The French press are unanimous in condemning
the conduct of the Prussian King, and in express-
ing sympathy with Polan i. The article in the
semi-official journal Ls Constitutionnel, which
seems to indicate the approaching interven-
tion of France in the Polish question, has created
much excitement. It is, says L'Opinion Nationale,
a sign whose import it is impossible to mistake.
An official journal, but lately so hostile to the in-
surgents, declares that the aspect of affairs is
changed, and that the policy of the Berlin Cabinet
has made the outbreak a European question.
The same journal (L'Opinion Natzonale), which
is supposed to represent the views of Prince Napo-
leon, writes strongly in favour of the re-establish-
ment of Poland, which, it avers, will conduce to the
best interests of France, of Europe, and of civilisa-
tion. Between the two Powers of a united Ger-
many, now in course of formation, and of Russia,
whose Asiatic hordes may one day pour down upon
the West, it is necessary that there should be an
independent Poland, a great Poland, that is to say,
Poland re-established within her ancient limits.
All able politicians, says r Opinion, must readily
understand the necessity of this act of justice far
securing the equilibrium of European Powers. In-
dependent Poland protects us from Germanism, while
putting no obstacle to its legitimate development,
and preserves us at the same time from panslavism—
the vision of the Muscovite Czars—and of oriental
fanaticism, which menaces, even to the banks of the
Danube and the Bosphorus, the nations of Western
Europe. Now, an independent Poland of the
ancient extent will become on our continent a first-
class power, having one large outlet on the Baltic
and another on the Black Sea, with a population of
30 millions, which would even become 40 or 42
millions, if the Poles succeeded in regaining their
ancient territories annexed to Russia, Austria, and
Prussia. Such is the alit' which we would have on
the banks of the Vistula and Dniester. It is pro-
bable that Russia, already rebelled against in
Poland, will soon have to encounter an outbreak in
the neighbouring provinces, which contain 25
millions, and there is little doubt that the Polish
movement will haste:, the explosion of a no less
formidable insurrection among the emancipated
serfs.

Le Pays declares that Prussia has forfeited her
neutrality, and asserts that public opinion in
Prussia is strongly opposed to the convention.

The Journal de Posen has the substance of the
declaration of a general association, composed of
the great German landowners of that province,
which formally censures the treaty with Russia.
From all parts of Europe the voice of opposition is
heard. Nothing, says Le Pays, imposes upon
Prussia the necessity of leaguing with the
Czar. It is true that she was an accomplice
in the partition of Poland, but that does not
oblige her to take part also in the oppression. In
leaving Russia and Poland alone face to face the
result would be attained that the insurrection would
be appeased, and the voice of friendly powers be
heard at St. Petersburg. Without the vexatious
conscription, Poland would have waited calmly, and
the Emperor Alexander must remember that the
pledges given in 1815 have never been fulfilled.

The debates in the English Parliament appear to
have given satisfaction in Paris. The debates in
the Prussian Chambers are also commented on.
The sitting at which M. Bismark endeavoured to
defend the convention terminated, says L'Opinion
Nationale, with two important acts. The fiist was
a motion, supported by 134 deputies, opposing any
intervention, direct or indirect, in Polish affairs,
which has since been almost, unanimously car-
ried. The second motion, carried by 274 against 40,
declared the Ministers civily responsible for es-
Pense3 they had incurred unconstitutionally. Le

quotes fr ;hi L'Eqrope Frank co
Cil
tidare,bed 13) C trdi,,,il *.co Mgr. Chigi,
which contradicts Lord Russel,t's account of Mr.
Odo Russell's interview wit,
sideration of the und,-
a the Pope, and in con-
, .4e publicity given to that
gentleman's despat,:hes in the English Parliament,
declares that h.i6 Holiness feels himself obliged to
suspend relations with Mr. Odoßussell.
BornsE, Feb. 21.—The rumours which were cur-
rent yesterday of the retirement of M. Fould, and
others equally improbable, but which nevertheless
had a depressing effect on quotations, having been
proved to be unfounded, the market at the com-
mencement of business remained firm at yesterday's
closing rates. Forced sales for the delivery of
Steck having afterwards taken place, prices again
slightly receded, and Threes, for the Account, are
now at 69f. 60c. Only a moderate amount of busi-
ness going in Railway Shares. The market re-
covered the slight decline before the close, and left
off as follows
4 per Cents. 9B 60
Do. end month
3 per Cents
Do. end month 69 60
New 3 per Cents
Do. end month —

Bank Shares 3365
Credit I oncier 1435
Piedmontese Fives
Italian Loan 69 70
Russian

Credit M0bi1ier....1155
Do, end m0nth....1152 50

Austrian
Spanish Threes —
Home Debt —

EA IL"

-AYB.

Cash. Account.
Orleans llOO .. 1112 50
Northern
New ditto .
Lyons and Mediterranean 1170 .. 1171 25
Geneva 397 60 ..
Southern 7BO 781 25
Western
Eastern .. 547 60 .. 647 50
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa 672 60 .. 670
Ditto to Barcelona