The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-30 00:00:00

HE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY AVENING, JANUARY 30, 186.

jury had to consider was, whether the contract was
of so absurd and destructive a character that no man
in his senses could have entered into it ; in other
words, they could deal with it simply as a medium
of proof. The learned Master referred to the con-
duct of Mr. Windham since the commencement of
these proceedings, and told the jury that, while
they should not attach ton much importance to his
visits to the Haymarket, and his behaviour at Fel-
brigg-hall on Christmas night, they ought not to
lose sight of those matters, but should give them
all the consideration they might be thought to de-
serve. He stated that he had decided upon public
grounds alone, and not for merely personal reasons,
in favour of a :private examination of Mr. Wind-
ham, and cited the authority of the late Lord Camp-
bell for the course ho had adopted. Finally, ho di-
rected the jury to look at the case broadly and
steadily, to discard such portions of the evidence as
were either incredible or irrelevant, and to give
their verdict upon what remained firmly and con-
scientiously.
The examination of Mr. Windham will take place
to-day at 11 o'clock, in a room adjoining the court.
At its conclusion the jury will be left alone to con-
sider their verdict. We presume it will be deli-
Tered in public, but even upon that point it is im-
possible to speak with certainty. The parties pre-
sent at the interview with the alleged lunatic will
be the Master, the jury, counsel, and an official
short-hand writer.

ducing him to a friend, who lived in the Green.
lanes. They accordingly met, and after they had
walked about for some time the prisoner told him
that he could not see his friend that night, and he

wished the prosecutor to meet him on the following
evening. The prosecutor was prevented from keep-
ing this appointment, but on the next morning it
appeared that he met the prisoner again, and ex-
plained to him how it happened that he was unable
to meet him on the previous night, and he said it
was of no consequence, and asked him to meet him
that same evening at a quarter-past 7 o'clock. The
prosecutor did so, and the prisoner took him down
the Ball's-pond-road and in a roundabout direction,
and upon the prosecutor observing that he was not
going the nearest way to the Green-lanes, the pri-
soner made some excuse, and then led the prosecu-

tor to a lonely spot near the New River: It ap-
peared that he then crossed one of the bridges to the
side of the canal which was not used as a footpath,

and upon the prosecutor saying that it was very
muddy and asking him to go on the other side of the
bridge he said that the mud did not signify, and that
he could easily wash his boots clean. When they had
gone a short distance by the side of the water the
prisoner asked the prosecutor to walk on first, say-
ing that he could see better than he could, and when
he had got a few paces on ahead, the prisoner rushed
at him and struck him a tremendous blow on the
head with a life-preserver, which knocked him
down. He then, it appeared, seized him by the
coat and waistcoat, and endeavoured to drag him to
the water, apparently for the purpose of throwing
him in, but prosecutor struggled as well as he could,
and by giving a sudden wrench with his body his
garments gave way, and he was released from the
prisoner's hold. While this was going on the pri-
soner, it appeared, had laid the life-preserver on the
ground, and he picked it up and recommenced beat-
ing the prosecutor on the head with it, and again
laid hold of him and tried to force him into the
canal. After struggling for somo time the prose-
cutor succeeded in slipping do wn the embankment
and tried to get away, and in doing so he fell into a
pit. The prisoner then came up to him and asked
what ho was doing there, and told him to come out,
and the prosecutor in answer to his inquiry said—
" 1 want to get away from you, you villain ; I know
you want to murder me." The prisoner, upon this,
it appeared, went away, and the prosecutor suc-
ceeded in getting out of the pit and went to a cot-
tage a short distance off, where he obtained assist-
ance, and was removed to St. Bartholomew's Hos-
pital'. It appeared upon his being examined that he
had no less than 20 contused and lacerated wounds
upon the head, and Mr. Ellis, the house surgeon,
said that all these injuries were such as were likely
to be inflicted by an instrument like a life-preserver,
and this gentleman also stated that for some time
he considered the life of the prosecutor in danger,
and it likewise appeared that he was still, suffering
severely from the injuries he received upon the oc-
casion. The prisoner was taken into custody on the
same nihgt, and he then declared that he had not
seen his brother that day, but upon his being subse-
quently informed that inquiries had been made at
the hospital, and that his brother was very ill, he
replied, very coolly, " Well, it is a very bad job,
but I shall get over it, I suppose, somehow.
Mr. Baron Channell, at the close of the case for
the prosecution, asked the prisoner whether he
wished to say anything to the jury in answer to
the charge.
The prisoner, who did not put any questions to
his brot her, and only questioned one or two of the
other witnesses upon some unimportant matters,
turned to the jury and said that his brother had
been unfortunate, and he had given him money to
enable him to go to New Zealand, but he did not do
any good there, and when he returned, instead of
paying him the money he had advanced him, and
which he had promised to do, he was informed that
he only ridiculed him and expressed his determina-
tion that he would never pay him. This, he said,
provoked and aggravated him to do what he did ;
lie declared that he had no intention to murder him,
although he was scarcely aware what he was doing
at the time.
Baron Channell, in summing up, said that, as the
prisoner appeared to admit that he had assaulted
his brother in the way that had been described, the
only question for the.) ary was with what intent that
assault had been committed, and whether he in-
tended to murder the prosecutor or only to do him
some serious mischief. He then called their atten-
tion to all the material points in the evidence bear-
ing upon these two questions.
The jury, after deliberating for a short time,
found the prisoner guilty upon the first count of
the indictment, of wounding with intent to mur-
der, but they at the same time recommended him to
mercy.
Baron Channell inquired upon what ground they
gave this recommendation.
The jury said they did so on account of the pri-
soner, after his brother was in the pit, going. away
without attempting to do him any further injury.
Baron Channell, in passing sentence, said that
the prisoner had been convicted of the offence of
wounding with intent to murder—an offence which,
under any circumstances, was one of a most serious
character, but which was aggravated in the present
instance by the fact that the person whom he had
been convicted of attempting to murder was his
was his own brother, and the jury had only returned
this verdict after very careful consideration. It was
true that they had at the same time recommended
him to mercy, and had also given the ground for
their doing so. He was always most anxious to
give full effect to a recommendation to mercy by a
jury, but when the ground for such a recommenda-
tion was, in his opinion, not a satisfactory one, he
felt it was his duty, although it was undoubtedly a
painful one, not to give any effect to it. The pri-
soner, therefore, stood before him convicted of the
offence of wounding his own brother with intent to
murder him—an offence for which only a very short
time ago his life might have been forfeited, and he
was still liable to be sentenced to penal servitude
for life. He should not go to that extent ; but,
taking into consideration the very aggravated cha-
racter of his crime, he felt that his duty to the public
compelled him to sentence him to be kept in penal
servitude for the space of 20 years.
The prisoner, who did not exhibit the slightest
indication of feeling, was then removed from the
bar.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Jan. 29.

more than £l,OOO a day. Indeed, for the present
the Long Parlour of the Mansion-house is converted
into a sort of bank, and some of the officers of the
justice-room have been taken from their ordinary
functions to devote themselves exclusively to this
work of humanity. The donations yesterday in
number exceeded our power to give them in de-
tail, but the following are a few of the prin-
cipal:—The Right Hon. the Speaker of the
House of Commons, £2O; Mr. Tite, M.P., £lO
10s. ; Brandram, Brothers, and Co., £2O ; Lady
Amelia Charlotte Marsham, £2O; James Barber and
Co., £lO 10s.; Cattleys and Carr, £2O ; Royal Ex-
change Assurance Company, £25 ; Assistants of
Copestake, Moore, Crampton, £26 4s. ; gentlemen
in the London office of the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company, £22 45.; Caldecott,
Sons, and Willcocks, £26 ss. ; Bishop and Sons,
£2l ; Clerks in the Bank of England (a shilling
subscription) £l9 155.; the Clerks in the Ac-
countant's Bank-note office, Bank of England,
£3 108. The name of " Mrs." instead of " Mr."
Llewellyn Evans was given yesterday by mistake
as that of a contributor.

WESTMINSTER—Thomas Hewitt was charged
with being drunk and disorderly.
William Morris, an omnibus driver, said that on
the previous night, as he was about to start on his
journey from the Cricketers, Cheyne-walk, Chelsea,
to London, he was informed that the defendant had
declared that he would put the omnibus into the
river. As Hewitt was intoxicated, the complainant
paid no attention to the threat, and mounted his
driving-box, but had no sooner done so than the
defendant seized the horses' heads and backed them
against a slight rail, which separates the embank-
ment from the Thames. The complainant drove the
horses forward, but the defendant backed them
with such force that, but for the carriage striking
against a tree, the rail would have been broken
down and the omnibus precipitated into the water.
There were four ladies in the carriage, whose screams
denoted the terror they felt at the imminent dan-
ger in which they were placed.
Thomas Pearman, 253 V,said he found the defen-
dant by the side of the omnibus using the most dis-
gusting language.
The defendant said he was sorry for what had
happened, and would take care that it should not
occur again.

Mr. Arnold remarked that ho could not conceive
what the motives of the prisoner were in commit-
ting this offence. If it had not been for the omni-
bus being stopped by a tree most disastrous con-
sequences might have resulted from the act, and
had the prisoner been otherwise charged he should
have pronounced a severe sentence. He should im-
pose a fine of Ss., and require him to find one surety
in £25 to keep the peace for three months.
The prisoner was locked up in default.
Sarah Freeman, a genteel-looking young woman,
20 years of age, was finally examined, charged with
robbing Mr. William Dunfee, outfitter, 19, Victoria-
row, Pimlico, of a quantity of property.
The prisoner, who is respectably connected, had
been receiving a liberal salary from the prosecutor.
She was detected a few daysago taking out a large
parcel of goods. Other articles were found in her
box, the property stolen amounting in all to £2O in
value.
It was urged by Mr. Bury Hucthinson, on behalf
of the prisoner, who pleaded guilty, that sbe had
hitherto borne a high character, and had been in-
trusted by Mr. Danfee with very large sums of
money to pay at wholesale houses.
Mr. Duntee recommended her to the merciful
consideration of the magistrate.
Mr. Arnold said it was most distressing to find a
person of her years and respectability charged with
such an offence. There was no one circumstance in
her case which could palliate her offence. She was
therefore committed to hard labour in the House of
Correction for the full period of six months.

WORSHIP-STREET.----John Garrett, a stout
active man of 30 or 35, well known to the police,
was charged with robbery.
At half-past 2in the morning of the 4th inst. the
prisoner entered the shop of Mr. Sach, a jeweller in
High-street, Shorediteh, and asked to be shown a
good silver watch. Mr. Sach handed him one of
foreign manufacture. He objected to that and said
he should prefer an English-made lever. The pro-
secutor handed him one of those, worth £4 10s.
which he took as if about to examine it, but the in-
stant he had got it into his hand he turned round,
and, without uttering a word, ran out of the house
with it. It is a common system of robbery to send
one of a gang into a shop for the purpose of stealing
something, so as to induce the person serving to run
out in pursuit, and so leave the shop to the mercy
of others of the gang, who rush in and plunder it,
and this Mr. Sach was aware of, and instead, there-
fore, of following the prisoner himself, he sent the
shopboy after him, but uselessly. The prisoner was
not seen again till the evening of the 15th, when
Boobyer and Miller, two constables of the G divi-
sion, were on duty in the same neighbourhood, and
met him and two other well-known thieves walking
together, with the evident object of robbery. They
had only watched them a minute or two when they
saw two of them place themselves so obstructively
before a lady as to stop her, and the prisoner lifted
up her dress and felt her pocket. He did not seem
to get anything, and the officers let him go on fur-
ther, when he again stopped another lady, lifted her
dress also, and inserted his hand into her pocket
The lady moved away, unconscious of what had
taken place, and the prisoner and his confederates
crossed over and entered a publichouse. Here
Miller waited outside while Boobyer went in, and
told the prisoner that he was wanted for attempt-
ing to pick ladies' pockets. On hearing that this
was the charge the prisoner replied, " Oh, very
well," and seemed willing to go with the officer,
but on getting to the door he ran down the Hack-
ney-road as fast as he could go, and had not Miller
been there in advance of the first officer he must,
even after a long and severe chase, have again
escaped. He was then taken to the station, and told
he was wanted for the watch robbery, which he de-
clared to be an entire mistake; but on being brought
to the court and placed by Bendall, the gaoler, in
the waiting-room with five other men, a young lady
named Scott Ivans, who was staying with Mrs.
Sach at the time of the robbery and had a quiet
view of the thief's face when the watch was stolen,
was sent for, and on entering the room she selected
the prisoner from the others without hesitation.
Previous convictions were proved against the
prisoner, and
Mr. Leigh fully committed him for trial on both
charges.

MANSION-HOUSE. A young woman who
gave the name of Ellen Jones, said to be fictitious,
described as a tailoress, and having no fixed resi-
dence, was brought up before the Lord Mayor,
charged with being in the unlawful possession of a
gold watch and chain worth together between £4O
and £5O, and supposed to have been stolen.
Yesterday morning the prisoner went into the
shop of Mr. Fry, a watchmaker and jeweller in
Bishopsgate-street Without, and, producing the
watch and chain in question, offered to sell them to
him for £l5. Perceiving on examination that the
watch was of the value of £3O at least, and the
chain, which was of the Albert pattern, and the gold
of the quality of 18 carats, about £lO more, his
suspicions were excited, and he asked her to call
again in the afternoon, when ho would have a gen-
tleman present whom he thought the watch and
chain would suit. She left the shop on that under-
standing, and immediately after she had gone Mr.
Fry spoke to Police-constable Stobbhard, who fol-
lowed her into the Woolpack publichouse, in Peter-
street, close by. There he asked her to let him see
the watch. She denied at first that she had one,
but on his demanding to see the watch she produced
it. To questions he put she said it belonged to her
husband, who was a tailor. He told her he did not
believe her, upon which she said he could ask her
husband, pointing to a man in the room. The man,
on being spoken to, denied that he was her husband,
adding he had never seen her before that morning,
when on a casual meeting she had offered to treat,
h im with something to drink, and he had accom-
panied her there. They were both taken to a
police station, but the man was afterwards liberated.
The watch bore the maker's name of " Broad, near
the Royal Exchange," and the number 1,198. A
gold key and a small compass were attached to the
chain. At Mr. Fry's the prisoner said she had
been offered £l5 upon the watch at a pawnbro-
ker's, which she had declined. When she first
showed it to him the compass ornament was detached
from the chain. She added that the watch was
her husband's, who was a commercial traveller. A
mathematical instrument of considerable value was
also found upon her when taken into custody.
The appearance of the prisoner contrasted strongly
with the possession of articles of such value. She
said in reply to the charge she had had the watch
in her possession for about six months, and that she
bought the mathematical instrument in Birming-
ham.
The Lord Mayor remanded her till Saturday,
thinking that the publication of the circumstances
in the interim might possibly clear up the mystery
if she had not come honestly by the watch and
chain.
The condition of the bereaved wives and families
of the po )r men who perished in the Hartley Col-
liery c in
the to excite the deepest sympathy n
the city of London, and indeed throughout the
metropolis generally. During the whole of yester-
day again contributions towards their relief were,
poured into the Mansion-house from almost al.
classes of the inhabitants, especially those engaged
in mercantile and industrial occupations, and includ-
ing, in many instances, the members and servants
of private families. The aggregate of the contribu-
tions received by the Lord Mayor in the course of
yesterday alone was nearly £1,114, which, with
• those previously sent, makes the total sum
up to last evening about £3,070, or at the rate of

CLERKENWELL.—Wm. Shepherd Foster, the
keeper of the Independent beershop, Upper Bing-
field-street, Islington, was summoned by Inspector
Judge, N division, for unlawfully opening his house
for the sale of beer on Sunday last before the hour
of 1 o'clock.
From the evidence of Police-sergeant Gould, 40
N, it appeared that, complaints having been made
that Sunday trading was being carried on at the
defendant's house, he watched, and saw several per-
sons enter in the course of the morning. He also
stopped a little girl and found she had a bottle
under her shawl, which contained about a pint of
malt liquor.
The defendant denied the charge. Ile said that
the girl was his nursemaid, and that he had given
her the ale to take home to her father.

- _
A girl between 9 and 10 years of age was called
and examined as to the nature of an oath. Her
answers being considered satisfactory she was re-
quested to take the book and be sworn, but she de-
clined to do so.
Mr. Mould (the chief clerk) told her the book
was the Testament, and that she had only to kiss
it and speak the truth. He asked if any one had
told her not to do so.
The girl replied that she would not kiss the book,
and that no ono had told her to refuse to do so.
Although told that she might be sent to prison for
her refusa% she persisted in not kissing the book,
and her evidence consequently could not be taken.
Mr. Barker fined the defendant 20s. and costs.

SOUTHWARK.—James Kelly, a well-dressed
young fellow, was brought up by Scannell, 177 M,
charged with stealing a silk handkeichief and a
portmonnaie from a French gentleman,named Pierre
Lagron, on the platform of the South Eastern Rail-
way, London-bridge.
The prosecutor, through an interpreter,
.said that
on the previous evening he came by the tidal train
from Paris, and just before he got .out of the car-
riage he had safe in one coat-pocket, loose, 3,000
francs in gold, and in the other a pocket-handker-
chief and an empty portmonnaie.As he was going
through the crowd to look after his luggage, Scan-
nell, the constable, came up to him and asked him
if he had lost anything. He found all his money
safe, and missed the empty portmonnaie and silk
handkerchief. lie saw the prisoner in custody a
minute or so afterwards, with the property in his
possession.
Scannell, a detective officer, specially employed
by the South Eastern Railway Company, said he
saw the prisoner go up to the prosecutor just as
the tidal train arrived. On seeing him leave in a
hurried manner he suspected him, and stopped him,
at the same time asking the prosecutor whether he
had lost anything. The prosecutor seemed rather
excited, and, feeling his pockets, said his money
was safe, but he missed his handkerchief and port-
monnaie. The witness at once searched the pri-
soner, and found the two articles on him, and the
prosecutor identified them. The prosecutor told
him that just before the train arrived, anii after he
, had given up his ticket, he emptied his portuaconnEue

and put it in one pocket with his handiforchief, end look. It has been predicted by a prophet of den-
the money loose in the other pocket. drology that elms will be extinct in England before
The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced another century has elapsed. The bare idea of such
to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. a calamity should rouse the Woods and Forests—
for the functions of that department have not ex-
pired with its name—from their lethargy on this
subject. A generation must pass away before the
place of a full-grown tree can be supplied, and the
stately verdure of our parks testifies to a forethought
which is still rarer now than in the days of our
grandfathers. Men too often plant for themselves,
and for themselves only, filling up with horse-
chestnuts, and other trees of rapid growth, but
short-lived beauty, the gaps in ancestral avenues of
oak and elm. We lament this selfish shortsighted-
ness when we see its effects in the country seats of
individuals, but we have a right to exclaim against
it when it affects the interests and pleasure of the
nation. We cannot, indeed, blame Mr. Cowper
and his predecessors for not having been the first
to hail M. Robert's new invention. Now, how-
ever, that it has been sanctioned by experience,
we are warranted in hoping that no time will be
lost in employing some new Evelyn to report
upon its application to the forest trees which
Englishmen, from the earliest times, have learned
to love and almost to reverenee.—Tinzes.

LAMBETIL—Mr. James R. Wilson and Mr.
Joseph Crown, respectable tradesmen, appeared be-
fore Mr. Elliott, in discharge of their recognizauces,
to meet a charge of knocking down and running
over an old gentleman named Smith, by which he
had received injuries of so serious a character that
he has since died. From the evidence in the case,
it appeared that on Christmas eve the defendants
were driving along Southampton-street, Camber-
well, in a gig. The deceased happened to be cross-
ing the street at the time. The defendants called
out to him, but whether from fright or infirmity the
deceased was unable to get out of the way. The
consequence was that he was knocked down, and
the wheel of the gig passed over him. He was
taken up and carried to his house in Camberwell-
road. It was hoped th at he would recover, but on
the night before he died.
Inspector Dann informed the magistrate that the
inquest on the deceased had not yet been held, and
requested a further remand.
The defendants having put in the required bail,
were discharged.
Henry Richardson, a man of respectable appear-
ance, was charged with attempting self destruction
by swallowing a large dose of oxalic acid.
Police-constable 237 P deposed that about 4
o'clock on the evening of Monday week he was
called into the Hero of Switzerland publichouse in
Loughborough-road, Brixton, and there found the
prisoner in the hands of Mr. Gage, a surgeon. He
learnt that he had just before swallowed some oxa-
lic acid. After the stomach-pump had been used the
prisoner was removed to Guy's Hospital. When
asked what he had to say to the charge the prisoner
replied that he had been drinking a good deal, and
the dread of losing his situation had been the cause
of the rash act. He had, however, suffered severely
for his folly, and should never attempt a repetition
of the act. The wife of the prisoner said, although
he had latterly given way to drink, he was a good
husband and a kind father.

Mr. Elliott observed that it was shocking to see
a man who might be happy with his family give
way to drink so as not only to risk his situation,
but his life. He, however, appeared to have suf-
fered by his folly, and it was to be hoped that, on
being discharged, he would keep his word to leave
off drink and never again attempt so wicked an act.

HAMMERSMITH.—James Brown, a sharp-
looking boy, Jane Brown, a girl, and Louisa Clark,
a young woman, were re-examined charged with
attempting to steal from shops.
Sergeant Boden was passing through Notting-
h ill, when he saw the prisoners. He followed them
to the High-street of Kensington. They loitered
about the shop of Mr. Wickham, draper, for some
time, and the boy made three attempts to steal a
large piece of print hanging at the door. The pri-
soners gave false addresses, but the officer identified
Clark as the associate of burglars about Drury-lane.
Clark said the officer was too clever, and would
" get something some day."
Mr, Ingham committed the prisoners for trial.

1RE.47'31EN7 OF TREES.

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

A highly interesting meeting of this society was held on
Monday evening, Captain R. Collinson, R.N., vice-presi-
dent, in the chair.
Among those present were Generals Sir George Pollock
and Sir H. Rawlinson, Colonel Sir George Everest, Admiral
Sir E. Belcher, Sirs W. C. Treveiyan, J. Davis, T. Fre-
mantle, H. Holland, J. Rowe, C. Rawlinson,J.Elphinstone,
and C. Bright; Captains Bedford, Gunnell, Craufurd, and
Maguire, R.N. ; Colonels Strange and Shakner, Captains
Blakeston, Pope, Heyworth, Sydney Webb, Johnston, and
Pook; Commander Mayne, R.N. ; Lieutensnts Windus,
T.N„ and Brine, R.N. ; Drs. Bright, Camps,Worthington,
and Bennett; Messrs. Arrowsmitb, Spottiswoode, Cocks,
Charles White, Biddulph, Brooking, &c,
Commander W. D. M. Dulben, R.N., Captain H. Mon-
tagu, Lieutenant-Colonel A. Park, the Earl of Pomfret,
Major C. S. Showers, Messrs. E. Adams, J. H. Crossman,
A. Head, J. B. Key, C. D. Leggatt, G. Lumsden, C. J.
Mackenzie, R. R. Notinsn, J. S. Phene, R. P. Roupell, H.
A. Sanford, F. Travers, J. Wardlaw, and J. Watney, jun.,
were elected Fellows.

The CHAIRMAN, in the absence of the President, Lord
Ashburton, called upon Dr. Shaw to read a letter which the
President had received from Messrs. Chambers and Finke,
of Adelaide, giving particulars of the fitting out of a new
expedition under Mr. Stuart, and expressing their firm con-
viction of his succeeding in making his way through the 80
miles, at which distance from the northern coast of Austra•
lie he was obliged to return on his last expedition.
The first paper was relict by Mr. F. GALTON—" Journey
in Eastern Africa, from Mombas to Kilema, and ascent of
Kilmanjaro," by Mr. Richard Thornton. This journey
was made in company with a German, Baron von Decken.
Their route lay from Mombas to the south-west over the
Shimba, thence north-west to the Kadiaro, then south-
west to the Pare, and then north to the Lake Yissi,through
Dafeta to Kilema, where they made an attempt to ascend
Kilmanjaro, but had to turn back at a height of about
8,000 feet. They then went round by the foot of the
mountain to Madjami, and returned by Dafeta, Lake Yissi,
Pare, and the north foot of Utambara to Wanga, on the
coast, which they reached on the 101st day from Mombas.
The paper gave an interesting description of the mountain
as seen from several points of view, and the height they
estimated at from 17,000 to 20,000 feet, covered with per-
petual snow.
The second paper read was, "Ascent of the Ogun, or
Abbeokuta River, by Captain R. F. Burton, F.R.G. S., Her
Majesty's Consul at Fernando Po, with Captain Bedin-
field, R.N., F.R.G.S., and Dr. Eales, R.N." The party
left Lagos on the 29th of October last. After three hours'
paddling up the fetid Agboi Creek, they entered the main
stream, which was here 100 yards broad, belted on both
sides by an immense growth of forest, and little affected by
the tide. The river is navigable as far as a place called
Aro. At that point a ridge of rocks crosses the bed and
forms an impassable rapid, the general style of ferry here
Ibeing a large calabash, which the traveller, to use
Captain Burton's words, "takes to his bosom." After

The analogy between plants and animals, familiar
as it is, has not yet been appreciated in all its con•
sequences. Every one knows that many of the
vital functions are represented by corresponding
processes in vegetable physiology ; that nutrition,
absorption, secretion, respiration, and reproduction
are essential parts, in no metaphorical sense, of the
life of flowers and trees. In some of their habits
and properties, especially those connected with the
circulation of their sap and the adaptation of their
external coating to the exigencies of climate, these
simple organisms, which we sometimes rudely term
inanimate, display, if we may so say, a discrimina-
tion and a self-protecting instinct wnich has excited
the marvel of naturalists. The conditions of health
are not indeed the same, but similar, in the case of
a tree and in the case of an animal, and the violation
of these conditions is equally fatal in its effects.
Hardier in many respects, in some others trees are
far more delicate than animals, and, if their diseases
could be ascertained and catalogued, they would
probably look almost as numerous and formidable
as those which fill medical textbooks, Considering
the immense value of timber, as well as the keenness
of our national taste for ornamental woods, it is
certainly strange that the pathology of trees should
have been comparatively neglected in this country.
The most recondite experiments have been carried
on by scientific men to find out the exact proportions
in which earth, air, and water contribute to their
sustenance, and the ingenuity of landscape gardeners
has been exhausted in devising methods for their
safe transplantation, But all this time trees have
been pining and dying in the prime of life, and
strewing the forests with their almost worthless
carcases, and yet no one seems to have bethought
himself of ministering to their infirmities, and
curing their maladies by timely remedies. Hitherto
pruning and lopping have been almost the only
operations known to foresters or gardeners, and if
the site of a plantation has been selected with due
regard to soil and shelter, and its surplus wood
periodically thinned out, no other precautions
against premature decay have been deemed neces-
sary or practicable.
Our neighbours, the French, though they may be
less alive to the beauties of scenery than ourselves,
have always shown much skill in economising the
bounty of nature. Roadside avenues are commoner
in France than in England, and the utility of trees
is thoroughly appreciated by the peasantry. We
are not surprised, therefore, that the first step in
the medical, or rather the surgical treatment of
trees, should be taken by a Frenchman. M. Robert,
the gentleman to whom we refer, began his labours
some 20 years ago, and since that time has under-
taken the cure of vast numbers of trees, especially
elms, in many parts of France and Belgium. He
has taken out a patent for his system, and, if we
may judge by the testimonials and honours which
he bas received from scientific societies and public
bodies, his success must have been remarkable. His
theory is, that the most inveterate enemies of trees
and especially young trees, are not excessive mois
ture or unfavourable peculiarities of ground affect
ing their roots, but certain tribes of xylophagous-
insects. Of these the chief and most truculent are
the acolytes and the cossus, and the art of curing the
ligneous consumption, which has hitherto been con-
sidered mortal, consists, according to him, in de-
stroying these insatiable parasites, and fortifying
the trunk against their future ravages. His first
experiments were made on the large trees bordering
the public walks of Paris, and with these he pro-
ceeded cautiously and gradually. He scored them
in longitudinal sections, hoping in this way to
quicken the circulation of sap in the bark between
the incisions, at the same time that he laid bare and
extirpated the tunnel-shaped nests of numberless
tree-consuming insects. Encouraged by the.results of
this attempt, he ventured to try the of effect strip-
ping trees thus affected of their whole bark—an ope-
ration not much less bold in its own way than that of
flaying a human being. However, we are told that it
succeeded to admiration, that " the acolytes and the
cossuses found themselves instantaneously annihi-
lated, and the grubs, still in a state of unconscious-
ness, were buried alive in the process of cicatrisation.
The trees threw out new layers of " liber,” or inner
bark, and even increased in bulk, as we learn from
another source, more rapidly that their unmutilated
contemporaries. Ever since this discovery was
made the more slashing practice has been universally
adopted, and we are told that thousands of elms,
already with one foot in the grave, are now con-
valescent patients or restored to perfect health by
the benevolent exertions of M. Robert.
No English bees, so far as we are aware, have
i yet come under M. Robert's scalpel, and we should
be the last to recommend a hasty application of so
trenchant a system to the noble clumps and single
trees of our public and private parks. But it is
certainly worth a trial, for, if there is any truth in
the theory, it goes to prove that the hostile acolytes
and cossuses are not only responsible for the damage
done by themselves, but serve as the sappers and
miners of other invading insects, besides opening
cracks and channels in which the wet lodges and
eats into the wood, which they generally spare. It
is not impossible that further researches will dis-
close some means of prevention which would be pre-
ferable to M. Robert's cure. Meanwhile, however,
we have every motive for endeavouring to save the
scanty remnant of those woods which once covered
Great Britain. As far back as the beginning of
this century the neglected state of the Royal forests,
and the wastefulness of permitting great oaks to
fall without taking ary account of their value or
supplying their places with young saplings, was
pointed out by Nelson. Since that time we fear
that the growth of new plantations has not kept
pace with the cutting down of old ones, and that we
are becoming more and more dependent on foreign
countries for our timber. On free trade principles
we have no right to object to this, but so long as it
continues to be our interest ; e grew timber at all it
rervainkge it as
from
is surely a dictate of prudence
re-
munerative as possible by p to
se make
needless decay. Especially in the metropolis,
where vegetable shade is so scarce and so grate-
ful, the loss of a single piece of foliage is 8
serious misfortune. How injurious the Lsn 'on
atmosphere is to trees has long been known, and it
has been remarked as a significant fact that the
Tthheepl ealnmes , which
have cnlolasn such
hs
one which flourishes best in this smoky medium is
ritessnonurteeer,
and, whether bark annually.
insects or impeded exhalation be the cause, these
characteristic ornaments of our parks hate a sickly

a week's stay at Abbeokuta they left that place on Nov. 8,
and arrived at Lagos on the 9th. On the 21st Capt. Burton
left Lagos in her Majesty's ship Bloodhound, Lieutenant-
Commander Dolben, which Capt. Bedingfield kindly de-
tached for the purpose of visiting the oil rivers. They en-
tered the Nun River on Nov. 24, passed through theAkassa
Creek, visited Brass and Fish towns, and at the time of the

departure of the mail were proposing to sound the bar of St.
Nicholas River.

The third paper read was, " Journal of the Proceedings
of the boats of her Majesty's ship Bloodhound up the River
Volta, West Coast of Africa, under Lieutenant-Comman-
der Dolben, R.N., F.R.G.S." The expedition left the
mouth of the river to survey the bar on the 28th of October
last, and found that it could be crossed by boats without
difficulty. They arrived off the town of Adda on the 29th,
when, perceiving the inhabitants in arms, they landed on an
island opposite, where they were visited by two coloured
traders, one of whom acted as interpreter in a palaver which
they afterwards had with the King. They then proceeded
up the river, and, after much difficult navigation, reached
Medica, a place distant five or six miles frc,ra Pong, whenthey were obliged to return in consequence of the rapids.
The villages are almost all on the left side of the river. The
huts are of a conical shape, made with coarse reeds, but
many of them consist merely of a conical roof on poles,
without any sides.
Capt. STRICKLAND, R.N., gave some interesting details
relative to the Abbeokutans, who exhibited much intelli-
gence, extraordinary aptitude for trade, and are much more
intelligent than the ordinary Africans. They are genuine
Negroes.
Mr. Consul TAYLOR expressed his opinion that the Ab-
beokutans possessed every facility for producing cotton to a
large extent, which was doubted by Mr. Crawturd.
At the close of the discussion, in which the Chairman,
Sir Henry Rawlinson, Col. Sykes, Mr. John Crawfurd, and
Mr. F. Galion took part, thanks were accorded to the gen-
tlemen who had communicated the papers to the society,
and it was announced that the next meeting would be held
on the 10th February.

COUNTRY MA RKL:i S.

•\J ‘.'

HULL—JAN. 28.
The supply of English wheat to-day was small, which
sold slowly at is per qr below last Tuesday's currencies.
Foreign neglected. Barley moved off at late prices. Oats
as before. Beans and peas easier, but the trade dull.
Wheat.... Old white....per qr s6s Od to 62s Od
Old red
New white .. „
New red .... ' ,
Dantzic, Konb , &c. old white 63s Od to 67s Oa
Dutch, Belgian, and French. 58s Od to 62s Od
Baltic and Hamburg, red... 60s Od to 61s Od
St. Petersburg and Riga, oli. 50s Od to 52s Od
Barley.... English malting 3ss Od to 38s Oa
Grinding. 32s Od to 34s Od
Saal and Oderbruck
Holstein and Danish 34s Od to 36s Od
Grinding 3os Od to 31s Od
Oats English, old
Archangel and Riga, per st 0512141 to 13a
Friesland and Dutch osl3d to 03130
Swedish and Danish Osl2td to osl 3a
Beans ....English, old, per qr 4Bs Od to 50s Od
New pigeon 42s Od to 44s Od
New tick.
Egyptian .. 38s Od to 40s Od
Peas Foreign breakers
Grinding
Indian Corn
t:
1d 00 dd totto
o 32536:
001
Tares .... Spring —s
Linseed, feeding s2s Od to 56s Od
crushinc,b
Linseed cakes(hull)Foreign £lO 5 4030 tOodLtloos2l3 °d9
815 oto 910 u„
Rape cakes 517 6to 6 0 u
Bones 5 6 oto 510 °

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE —JAN. 28.
At to-day's corn market the quantity of wheat exhibited
was an average one, with a dull business, and a slight de;
cline on List week's rates. Flour without demand. All
spring corn slow of sale.