The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-10 00:00:00

TILE ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY'S

FLOWER SHOW.

The Royal Botanic Society held yesterday the
third and last of their great flower and fruit shows
for the present season in their grounds in the Re-
gent's-park. The exhibition was, on the whole, a
very successful one, although the elements still ob-
stinately refused to shed over it any of their cheer-
ing influence. A light south-west breeze blew fit-
fully throughout the day. A succession of dull
clouds veiled the sky, and drops of cold rain pat.
teeed at frequent intervals from their dark borders.
It was impossible to feel certain for a moment that
the frowning aspect of the atmosphere might not
end in a drenching shower, or, perhaps, in a hail or
snow storm, and no one, there, felt disposed to wan-
der much farther than was absolutely necessary
from some friendly shelter. After all, however, the
danger passed off quietly enough, and the weather,
under the circumstances, held up wonderfully. But
it would be hardly possible for anything to make
itself more disagreeable without doing any positive
mischief. It would evidently have rained if it could,
but fortunately it could not ; and the large company
which braved the angry atmosphere were duly re-
warded for their intrepidity. It was with some
surprise we found the attendance of visitors upon
the occasion was apparently even above the average
amount. But fashion is one of the great powers of
the world, and will, in spite of any accidental oppo-
sition, impose its law upon its votaries. A vast
crowd again poured into the grounds from every
avenue; they gathered in dense masses wherever
anything was to be seen or heard; and, round the
t
spots which contained any objects of special inter:
or curiosity they pressed in such numbers a
as
kind. very
make voluntary movement of any
ladles were
slow and troublesome process.
still in every way the leading
every-
busy scene. They were here, there,i do
of me-
in the
where, in all the imposing
raved ir. the
dern costume ; they came arrayed
most delicate
n figuresi
te
u and
most costly tissues forms—a large
colours ; and their own s
in nature's fullest as
majority of them seemed cast
and becomingly
well as finest mould—bore naturally
luxurious drapery in which they
the graceful and lux and
yhe
were enfoyded.
They were, however, for the most part, The flowers and fruits exhibited by
ht almost be regarded as a subordi-
nthaetesoshcioewtl.
as perfect in shape and hue as ever, and under the
fostering skill and care of human hands, they offered
hardly a trace of the unfavourable influence of the
fickle skies and stinted sunshine under which they
grew into airy loveliness. The orchids and many of
the ferns and greenhouse plants had apparently
even found new and more congenial elements of life
in our recent humid atmosphere, and many of their
leaves presented a softness and a variety of colour-

ing which we have scarcely ever seen equalled.
There were at the same time many admirable speci-
mens of a brighter and more glowing vegetation.
There were roses, red and white and w' yellofinely
tinted and of the fullest forms : there was a profu-
sion of azaleas and pelargoniums, delicate and un-
flaunting in their varied and brilliant beauty ; and
there were many as fine fuchsias as we have ever
seen dropping in graceful showers their pendulous
bells. The fruit naturally afforded a less striking
exhibition. Many fine pine-apples and peaches bore
testimony to the success of purely artificial cultiva-
tion; the grapes also made a fine show; and the
strawberries, as far as we could judge, had not ma-
terially suffered from the cold and moist season
through which we have just passed, But upon this
point we can pronounce no positive opinion. It is,
after all, only by the taste that the value of fruit
can be certainly determined, and here we had, of
course, no opportunity of subjecting it to that test.
The bands of the Ist and 2d Life Guards and of
the Royal Horse Guards (Blue) played a variety of
operatic selections throughout the afternoon.
The company present upon the occasion included

'rine Mustapha Pacha, the French, Portuguese,
Swedish, Brazilian, Italian, and American ambas-
sadors, Lord and Lady Fermoy, Lady Lopez, Lady
Hume Campbell, &e.

CONVERSAZIONE OF THE SOCIETY OF

ARTS.

Yesterday evening the Society of Arta Lola .
grand conversazione at the South Kensington
Museum. Between four and five thousand persons
responded to the invitations of the council, the as-
sembly including a considerable number of the
aristocracy and many persons of distinction in the
arts and sciences. Among those observed were th e
Duke and Duchess of Somerset, the Earl and
Countess of Shaftesbury, the Earl of Lismore, Sir
H. Rawlinson, Sir A. G. Cumming, Mr. E. Baines,
M.P., Mr. Alcock, M.P., Mr. J. Dillon, &c. The
arrivals commenced at eight o'clock, and by 10
the principal rooms, studded with objects of artistic
merit and world-wide interest, were thronged with
promenaders, who, in some of the more attractive
parts of the museum, pressed rather inconveniently
upon each other. The inspection of the vast and
varied collection was full of zest, and it was evident
that for many the wonders of this western empo-
rium were invested with the charm of novelty.
Even in close proximity to the International Exhi-
bition they did not appear in any degree to pale.
The interest of the occasion was enhanced by a
double musical performance; one by the National
Choral Society, represented in this instance by 300
voices, under the able direction of Mr. G. W.
Martin; the other by Distin's Ventil Horn Union.
Both were very effective, and the glees and part
songs were heard with marked advantage in the
spacious hall selected for their execution. Re-
freshments in abundance were served in the picture
galleries,'where the pliability of crinoline was sub-
jected to a severe ordeal.

THE FRENCH OCCUPATION OF ROME.

Yesterday morning official papers respecting
the French occupation of Rome" were issued, com-
prising four despatches from Lord Cowley, with
replies from Earl Russell, together with a despatch
from Sir J. Hudson, addressed to Earl Russell. Earl
Cowley, in his first communication, brought under

notice of Earl Russell an article of the Tourna,

des Debats, in which the suggestion of a mixed gar.

rison at Rome, of French and Italian troops, was
advocated. In his reply to Earl Cowley, Earl Rus-

sell says :—" With reference to your Excellency's
despatch of the 14th March, I have to state to you
that a mixed French and Italian garrison at Rome
wnnlCl,3 kit -Ann trail; plat_ .1.3 'll GU. %v vvvur
the whole of the Roman state on the left bank of
the Tiber, and that the French should occupy the
Vatican region of the city, Veccna, and St. Peter's
Patrimony, on the right bank of the Tiber. Were
this plan adopted, as a temporary arrangement, the
Pope would be protected ; his dignity as a sovereign
prince would be recognised ; and after a time the
King of Italy and the Pope would by force of circum-
stances be reconciled. M. Thouvenel ought not to shut
his eyes to the evils of the present state of affairs.
They are-1. The French government makes itself
unpopular with the Italian, and especially the Ro-
man people. 2. No Italian government whether
of Ricasoli or Ratazzi, or anyone else, can control
efficiently the Mazzinians, who thereby obtain un-
due influence. 3. A war may spring up at any
time, the vicissitudes of which may force the Em-
peror either to abandon his own work in Italy or
to defend Italian independence at the cost of a great
and sanguinary war. Great Britain, so far from
interposing any obstacle in the way of France, is
desirous to co-operate with her in finding a solution
for the Italian question."
In a subsequent despatch, Earl Cowley reports :
--4 M. Thouvenel said that he feared your lord-
ship's plan would not be accepted by either party ;
the Pope declaring that hewill listen to no arrange-
ment which did not restore to him the possessions
which he had lost, and the Italian Government re-
fusing to sanction any settlement which did not
recognise Rome as the capital of Italy. Between
the profession of two such extreme opinions no solu-
tion seemed possible, for France could not permit
Italian troops to enter upon the territory occupied
by her without the Pope's acquiescence. Besides,
said M. Thouvenel, why are we to be asked to give
up Rome and the patrimony of St. Peter to the
King of Italy ? The utmost that can be expected
of us would be the restoration of Rome to the
Romans. I said that as far as her Majesty's Go-
vernment were concerned, I would answer for their
being satisfied with such an arrangement, meaning,
of course, that the Romans should be masters of
their own destinies."
magfined the
Earl Russell replies that he never i
well (he
Pope would accept the plan. gg know
t of
1816 met
says) that even the liberal arrang
with a protest from Cardinal Gone_s3;
ev n
iroonpet,h
ele
there-
sub-
ject of Ferrara and Comacchio• "
ythiug less than
fore, would not consent to and Ancona. But
a ira
the restoration of Bolognnna
d more for Rome
this consent need not be Bologna
Your Excellency will re-
than it was for Bologna.
as the. Austrian troops left Bo-
collect that as so.tivir
off
to leave
logn a, the city tnr.,
French troops were
be if
thet
to the consent of the Italian
So it would
Rome. With respect
your Excellency will perceive that
Government
tymporary arrangement
Government propose or suggest this
her a
gement, If it were pro-
planse
:sas a final settlement, an Italian minis ter
Posed
would, no doubt, hesitate or refuse to agree to it.
But, as a temporary arrangement, no one can be-
lieve that the evacuation of Rome, Velletri, and
Frorinone, and the left bank of the Tiber, by the
French troops would not eagerly be accepted by
the Italian people. Naples would be satisfied with
a government sitting at Rome ; and the charge that
a Ministry at Turin were attempting to Piemon-
tizzare' Italy would fall
to the ground." j:
Earl Cowley, on March 28, informs the noble
earl of another conversation with the French
minister :—" M. Thouvenel then went into various
arguments to prove, as he said, the rights which
the Pope still possessed ae a temporal Sovereign,
and to show that the claims put forward by the
Italian Government to Rome as the capital of Italy,
as also to Venetia as an Italian province, were
totally unjustifiable according to the common un-
derstanding of international law. I do not enter
into these arguments, because it was easy to con-
vince him that they had no weight with the Impe-
rial Government when the Legations, when Um-
bria and the Marches, when Tuscany, and when
Naples and Sicily annexed themselves to Sardinit
I merely mention them thus cursorily to your lor
ship as farther evidence—l say it with unfeigned

E.) _
regret—of the little h:phet.:l4 **/*Mlit*WL
ed
Of modifying by dis' 41,01tev"Ii‘tni Olt the
course which the Em, .\;*:::oo,v4oiicp:st-TV re-
solved to pursue with • .',4-4-atli'a4o'ques-
tion. The solution of it has n>u Oiled, to all
outward appearance at least, to the Pop e, anal see
no other sure policy for Italy to pursae than to en-
deavour to consolidate the administratio, a of the coun-
tries of which she is composed. She will t.laus acquire
internal strength, and impose external confidence,
and so be ready to take advantage of every favour-
able opportunity to complete her unity by sh owing
the truth of the proverb, that in union the, re is
force."
Writing on the 2d April, Earl Russell observes
—" M. Thouvenel no longer speaks of the difficulty
of persuading the Italian Government to accept of
such conditions as her Majesty's Government had
suggested. Nor is there any question of forcing the
Pope to abandon his temporal power, and remain in
Italy as the subject of another sovereign. The whole
question is, whether the Pope having lost Romagna,
the MFlrches, and Umbria, should retain the whole
of the territory now occupied by France, or whether
the French troops should occupy for the Pope only'
the patrimony of St. Peter, including the Vatican..
Setting aside all difference between a protestant
and Roman Catholic sovereign, it is manifest that
the principle thus upheld is at variance with the
principles maintained everywhere else by France as
well as by Great Britain. Rome is foreign terri-
tory ; the Romans are to have nothing, and foreign
troops everything, to say to the form of its govern-
ment. This system can hardly be of long duration,
it is too directly opposed to the maxims of inter-
national law and the wishes of the Italian people.
I do not, however, wish your Excellency to enter
into any polemics on this question. But, on the
other hand, the French Government must not make
it 'a reproach to the Government of Italy that the
southern proTinces are not in a state of tranquillity,
while tho-weirch flag protects the Pope in main-
taining a sanctuary where every chief of brigands
can find a refuge, and prepare his band for future
incursions on peaceful provinces. You are not to
read this despatch to M. Thouvenel, but you may
state to him the subject of it."
The despatch of Sir 3. Hudson, dated May 8,
gives a most favourable picture of the state of
affairs at Ancona and other Italian towns and
cities. " The aspect of the towns in the Marches and
Umbria," he says, "is that of cities awakened
to new life." The country from Ancona to the
Papal frontier is anxiously expecting the comple-
tion of the railways which are already commenced.
" At the Tiber the scene changes, and we enter also
upon the desert. The contrast between the 'fertile
garden of the Marches and Umbria, studded with
substantial farms and well-kept country houses,
and the desolate Campagna was striking—between
the bustle and vigorous life of their towns and the
solemn measured tread of Rome. It is clear-that the
reason for their secession was the inability or un-
willingness of Rome to keep pace with their pro-
gress ; they have outstripped her, and left her far
in the rear. Rome may join them; they never will
return to Rome voluntarily."
MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.

The Southampton borough magistrates were en-
gaged on Tuesday in the investigation of a charge
against John Colvin, steward of the bark Pasithea,
of Liverpool, for the murder of Thomas Williams,
captain of the said vessel. The Pasithea was on a
voyage from Liverpool for California, with a gene-
ral cargo, and the alleged murder was committed
on Easter Sunday, the 20th. of April, when the ship
was about 300 miles north-east of the Cape Verd.
Immediately afterwards Colvin was put in irons by
the mate, and on her arrival at Pernambuco a naval
court was held, and the prisoner and witnesses
were sent home by the consul at that port, arriving
at Southampton last Friday in the mail steamship
Parana. The witnesses examined on Tuesday in
support of the charge were Benjamin Robert
Bishop, the mate of the Pasithea ; John Harris,
apprentice; James Martindale, carpenter; and
Magnus Linklater, able seaman. It appeared,
from the evidence of these witnesses, that
the captain and officers were at dinner in
.the saloon about half-past one o'clock on the day
in question, and the steward, who had been waiting
on them, was in the pantry, which was about 10 or
I n.. 1. • M 1-1" _ • la. Pll-_ •1 _ _ 4„,.. 4,1,
closed the door after him. A scuffle was theniak
in the pantry, as if ono person was shaking another,
and the steward was heard to say, " What do you
mean, Captain Williams ?" The captain said, " I'll
shake you ; you don't care how you destroy my
property;" and in a few seconds he called out,
" Mr. Bishop, come here, he's killing me; he's stab-
bing me." On the mate getting the pantry door
open he found the captain leaning against it, bleed-
ing very much from the stomach, and the steward
had a long tableknife in his hand, the handle and
blade of which were covered with blood. This knife
had just previously been seen lying on some dessert
plates in the pantry. The steward at once said, "I
will give myself up in your charge," and was placed
in irons. The mate supported Captain Williams
to his cabin, and laid him on a sofa, when it was
found that he had been stabbed on the right side •
of his stomach, the wound being about three
inches long, and the bowels were protruding. While
the mate was bandaging the wound the captain re-
marked that he did not think it was mortal, which
was all he said, and in a few minutes he became
unconscious, and died about half-an-hour after he
was stabbed. At the prisoner's request the mate
subsequently examined his hand, when he saw tt
his right hand was cut in two places, the wounds
being such as a man would get by laying holdon th of the
blade of a knife, and there was also a lump
top of the prisoner's head like a bruise, but there
was no blood. There seemed from the atatem ents
e
of some of the witnesses to have been pain, revious dis-
and that
putes between the steward and the capt
the latter was rather an irritable mhe did not
thatand given to
drink. They all stated, however,
d went into the
he left the dinner-table and ,went way when
appear to be in a rage, or excited in any
a ist t d rat es, ma e a
in. which,. after mention-
pthaentusryu. al
ace). en a y roken
Tmheanpareirsonbeyr,thaefterm being cautioned in
phantry, he said
d tll b
round
da , footand
vinoglunthtaeryfansttaotfemhein;,hatvhieng
fetrarlnedhe a dessert-plate in
behind me, and a 1
standing
captain Williamsill., with the carving-
iligd ofrorshuatn.ot
found
" While reach
knife in, his hand. He said, What do you mean
by destroying
,my property, you son of a —. I'll
have your life.' He then caught hold of me by the
neck with his left hand, and stabbed at me with the
knife at my head, a blow which I received.
caught the knife with my right hand. I then
called, 'Mr. Bishop, Mr. Bishop, he's murdering
me.' I got no assistance. The door
was fast; We
tussled for some time, both of us holding the knife,
and both fell to the floor. I was underneath, and
i
brought the handle of the knife to the floor
and the point into the
captain's stomach, when he
fell on:the top. The captain then got up and I also.
He stood with his back against the door, and I
stayed and held the knife, when the door opened.
Mr
• Bishop made his appearance, and hauled the
captain out, but did not come inside the pantry. I
received one cut across the palm of the hand, one
between the forefinger and thumb, one across the
four fingers, and one stab at the back part of the
head. I have got nothing more to say now, but
leave myself in the hands of the law and to the pro-
tection of God." The prisoner was then fully com-
mitted to take his trial for the capital offence at the
Hampshire Assizes, which will be held at Win-
chester next week.

THE FORDINGBRIDGE MURDER.--Gilbert, the
man accused of the Fordingbridge murder, was retn(wed
from Ringwood to Winchester last Friday. A. large num-
ber of persons assembled at the Ringwood railway station
to see Gilbert taken away. On his arrival at the station, ho
was saluted with every species of malediction andd
into the
invective
that it was possible to resort to. lie was convey
e
persons who
station, to await the arrival of the train. Being
seated in a
chair, he sat coolly surveying the gr"P of
were gazing at him, and apparently unmindful and regard-.
as " rascal," " villain,"
less of the bitter execrations, such
and "murderer," that were heaped on his head. One per-
son asked him if he did not see Miss Hall before his eyes,
and had done so ever since be murdered her, to which he
replied, "Not me," 071 which the person said, "You lying
villain, had it been a relative of mine I would have skinned
thee alive. Thou art a disgrace to earth, heaven, and hell,
and there is one satisfaction to know that Jack Ketch will
soon send thee there," upon which the prisoner replied very
mn,
ao, gives yourselfaperin t
e n
ciaannyt
s troubletannar
da baotut
ontoit ,
ascooiltl
Prisoner to make anything that was
ordered tho pr no reply to
said to him. On his removal to a
coolly, Yt
doubleo u need
railway carriage, one of
the crowd made a sudden grasp at hi
of, and gave it a violent wrench,n
but he was at once inter-
feredni, caught him by the
with by the police. Cbeing
locked
in the railway
carriage, the yells and execrations of those assembled (par-
ticularly amongst the female portions of them) assailed the
prisoner's ears until the whistle of the guard gave the sig •
nal to bear hira away,