The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-05 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR

WI ti DSOR CASTLE, FRIDAY.

Her Majesty, accompanied by ,their Royal Highnesses
Princess Louisa and Princess Beatrice, drove out in an
open carriage and four yesterday afternoon, attended by the
the Countess of Caledon and the Equerry in Waiting.

Her Majesty and their Royal Highnesses Princess Alice,
Prince Alfred, Princess Helena, Princes Louisa, and
Princess Beatrice, left Windsor Castle to-day at three
o'clock for Osborne.

The suite in attendance included the Countess of Caledon,
Lady Augusta Bruce, the Hon. Lucy Kerr, Lord Alfred
Paget, Colonel Sir Charles Phipps, Lieut.-General the
Hon. C. Grey, Lieut.-Colonel Du Plat, Major Cowell, and
the Master of the Household.

The Bishop of St. Helena had an interview with the
Duke of Newcastle, on Thursday, at the Colonial Office,
Mr. Drummond Wolff had an interview with his Grace
yesterday.

PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.

Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by their Rcyal
Highnesses the Princess Alice, Prince Arthur, and other
juvenile members of the Royal family, and attended by the
ladies and gentlemen in waiting, arrived by special train at
the Royal Clarence Yard this afternoon at six o'clock,
whence the Royal party embarked on board the Elfin,
Reyal yacht, Master Commander Balliston, and imme-
diately proceeded to Osborne.

At half-past five o'clock their Royal Highnesses Prince
Alfred and Prince Leopold arrived in the dockyard at
Portsmouth and proceeded to Osborne in the steamer Fire
Queen, Master Commander Paul.

The Duke of St. Albans received a select party
at dinner last evening, at his residence in Hill-street.

DEATH OF SIR JAMES CLARK Ross.—We regret
to announce the death of Admiral Sir James Clark Ross,
the celebrated Arctic voyager, who died on Thursday at
Aylesbury, aged 62. The deceased was the third scn of
Mr. George Ross, of Balsorrock, in the county of Gallo-
way, and nephew of Sir John Ross, K.C.8., and was born
in 1800. He entered the navy in 1812, became rear-
admiral of the white in 1858; served in all the naval expe-
ditions for the discovery of the North-west Passage from
1818 to 1838 ; discovered and planted the British flag on
the North magnetic pole in 1831; crossed the Atlantic, to
relieve the frozen whalers in Baffin's Bay, in 1836 ; com-
manded the expedition to the Antarctic regions from 1839
to 1943: attained the highest latitude ever yet reached (78
deg. 10 min.), and approached within 160 miles of the South
magnetic pole. He received the honorary degree of D.C.L.
from Oxford in 1844, was elected a fellow of the Royal
Society in 1827, and of the Linnamn Society in 1823,
and was also honorary member of the Society of Northern
Antiquaries of Copenhagen, corresponding member of the
Geographical Society of Paris, &c. He received the
"Founder's Gold Medal" from the Geographical Society
of London in 1841, the gold medal of the Geographical
Society of Paris in 1842, and a piece of plate to the sub-.
scribers to the Land Arctic Expedition in 1833.
SUICIDE OF A SURGEON BY PRUSSIC ACID.—
Yesterday morning Mr. R. Walthew, deputy coroner, held
an inquest at the Morpeth Castle, Wick-lane, Old Ford, Bow,
on the body of John Ford, aged 74, a surgeon, who expired
under the following circumstances :—Clarence John Ford,
of 23, Francis-terrace, Wick-lane, Old Ford, said deceased
was his father ; ho was a surgeon. On Saturday afternoon
deceased was upstairs, when he was seized with choking.
A lodger in the house first heard deceased making a
noise, and told witness and his mother. When they
went upstairs he was insensible. He was lying on the
bed. His mother sent for Mr. Cooper, who pro-
nounced him dead. On -Saturday morning deceased and
his mother had some words about paying a gas bill. His
mother said it was too late. He dashed his hat on the
ground, using bad language at the same time. He was in
debt, and worried for money, as he could not get his debts
in. He had threatened to take his own life.—Mr. Cooper,
surgeon, 8, Harley-place, Bow-road, said he had made the
post-mortem examination. The stomach was inflamed.
There was an odour of prussic acid. The stomach and its
coats were much congested, and he thought he died from
prussic acid.—Mr. John Cooper, after he had analysed the
contents of the stomach, said he found sufficient prussic acid
to cause death.—The Deputy Coroner then said it was quite
clear the deceased died from prussic acid, and as he had
threatened to destroy himself, there could be no doubt as
to the cause of death. The jury returned a verdict of
temporary insanity.
LAMBETH POLICE L DIVISION.—Last evening, at
the Angel, Lambeth-wal',, a number of the inhabitants of
the parish assembled to dine, preparatory to making a pre-
sentation to Mr. Superintendent White, of the L Division,
Mr. R. B. Williams in the chair. The toast of the evening
was the " Health and Prosperity of Mr. E. White, late
Inspector of the L Division of Police, but now Superin-
tendent in the H Division." The toast being given, the
chairman followed it up by presenting to Mr. White a gold
watch and chain, as a mark of estimation in which he was
held locally for his services for 26 years. In the inside
cover of the watch was the following inscription :—" Pre-
sented to Mr. Superintendent Edmund White, by a few
friends of Lambeth, as a token of their respect and appre-
ciation of his conduct while Inspector of the L Division of
Police, April 4, 1862." Mr. White responded, and con-
cluded by proposing the "Health of Mr. Powell," who had
been foremost in promoting the testimonial. Mr. Powell
responded. The chairman then gave the "English Press,'
which, being duly honoured, was met by a response highly
pleasing to the company. Other toasts followed, including
the chairman (Mr. R. B. Williams), and the vice-chairman
(Mr. T. White), who respectively returned thanks. The
evening was spent in harmony and conviviality.
QUEER QUESTIONS.—The annual report of the
Civil Service Commissioners has not come directly under
our notice, and we are indebted to a contemporary for a few
somewhat strange samples of the questions asked. Here
is :one :—" Does ethical opinion control public action, or
does the course of events modify ethical opinion in
modern times ?" We should like to have seen the un-
happy young gentleman who had to answer this question
trying to understand it. We suppose it means something,
though we really don't understand what; but, presuming
it to be a very profound inquiry, in what respect does it
test the fitness of a young man for a clerkship or a tide-
waitership ? Again—" `The English language Is a dead
one.' Explain the remark of Mr. Kemble's." This opens
a wide field. Some people may agree with the great Anglo-
Saxon authority—many will differ from him. The ques-
tion is highly interesting to students of language ; it is per-
fectly absurd as a test of the fitness of candidates for the
civil service. W e print one more which rather perplexes
us :—" When a man dies leaving four sons, a daughter, and
two widows, who form a joint family, can any of these per-
sons insist on o partition being made ?" Wo do not pre-
tend to reply to this question, but we should very much
like to know how a man can leave two widows, and we
should like to know who are the foolish persons who ask
such questions.—Literary Budget.
. .

Tom SA.YETtS.—The following has been sent to
the Editor of the Sporting Life :—" Sir,—Having seen in
your paper of this day that it is the intention of Heenan to
contest with Mace for the Championship of England, I beg
to inform you that I will fight the winner of that important
battle for the sum of £2OO or £5OO a-side, as soon after that
event as the winner thinks fit.—l am, sir, yours respect-
fully, Tom SAYERS, ex-Champion of England, and pro-
prietor of the Champion Circus of the World. Ely, April 2."
[As Sayers is bound down never to enter the ring again,
the above is only put forward to create an excitement, and
the public must only look upon the challenge as a little bit
of bounce.—[A FRESH MAN.]

A PHILOSOPHIC NEGRO.--A correspondent of the
Cincinnati Gazette, writing from the Cumberland River,
gives a humorous account of a colloquy with a philosophic
African. He says :—" I noticed upon the hurricane deck
to-day an elderly darkey, with a philosophical and retro-
spective cast of countenance, squatted upon his bundle,
toasting himself against the chimney, and apparently
Plunged into a state of profound meditation. Finding upon
inquiry that he belonged to the 9th Illinois, one of the
most gallantly behaved and heavy losing regiments at the
Fort Donnelson battle, and part of which was aboard, I be-
gan to interrogate him on the subject. His philosophy was
so much in the Falstaffian vein that I will give his views
in his own words, as near as my memory serves me. 'Were
you in the fight ?" Had a little taste of it, Sa.' Stood
your ground, did you?" No, Sa, I runs.' Run at the
first fire, did you ?' 'Yes, Se, and would have run soona,
had I known it war comin." Why, that was not very
creditable to your courage." Dat isn't in my line, Sa—
cookin's my perfeshun.' Well, but have you no regard
for your reputation ?' Reputation's nuffin to me by de
side ob life.' Do yon consider your life worth more than
other people's ?' ' It's worth more to me, Sa.' Then
you must value it very highly.' Yes, Sa, I does—more
den all dis wuld —mere dan a million of dollars, Sa ; for
what would dat be worth to man mid de bref out of
him ? Self-preserbashum am de fust law wid me." Then
patriotism and honour are nothing to you ?' Nothing
whatever, Sa—l regard dem as among de vanities.' It is
safe to say that the dusky corpse of that African will never
darken the field of carnage."
EXTENSIVE FORGERY BY A RATE COLLECTOR.—
The rate collector for the local Government Board of Tran-
mere, in the neighbourhood of Birkenhead, has absconded.
It was intimated at the monthly meeting of the above•-
named board that Mr. W. J. Towndsow, the rate collector
for the township, had absconded. Ho was last at his office
on Monday morning, and, on examining the bankbook, it
was discovered that Towndsow had forged the names of the
chairman, the law clerk, and one of the members to a cheque
for £9OO, which he presented at the North and South Wales
Bank (where the board kept its account), and got the money
in gold and banknotes. It is said that he is not much in-
debted to the board, which, however, held a surety from
the delinquent's father-in-law for £3OO. On Wednesday
this gentleman received £3OO from Towndsow to reimburse
him for the amount he might have to pay as surety. The
money which was remitted from London was handed over
to the police. Up to Thursday night no tidings of the _cul-
prit had been obtained, although he is believed to be still
I skulking abipt the metrcipo4a.