The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-24 00:00:00

'FIE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY?, 24, 1A862.

journey he requested me to go to the Palace to take
leave of him. I was exceedingly impressed with the
very great judgment—l will not say propriety, for
it is not a sufficiently strong term—but the great
judgment and discretion with which he received the
attentions that were offered to him by such a variety
of classes and under circumstances so entirely novel
to him. lam persuaded that the spontaneous, ear-
nest, and affectionate veneration which was offered
through him to his honoured mother still continues
with unabated warmth in the bosom of all Ameri-
cans. (Hear, hear.) lam satisfied that nothing has
impaired those feelings, and I believe nothing will
ever occur that can impair them. (Hear, hear.)
We, as Americans, may at the present time claim to
take place next to Englishmen in affectionate sym-
pathy with the present sorrows of the Queen. The
Chairman then proposed " the health of Queen
Victoria," and requested Dr. Ferguson to speak to
the toast.
The Rev. Dr. FERGUSON, in performing the pleas-
ing duty to every Englishman of setting forth her
Majesty's title to the love and respect of all her
subjects, was delighted to find that the merits of his
Sovereign were so well appreciated by American
people. Adverting to the troubles in the United
States the rev. gentleman reminded the company
that England had by a costly oblation proved her
sincere hatred of slavery. If one party in the pre-
sent struggle fought for the maintenance of slavery
the other party was sworn to liberty. England and
the Northern States were alike solemnly pledged
to that sacred cause, and he invited all to join hands
and vow to relax no effort until the last links of the
chain fell from the limbs of the enslaved race.
" The Queen's health" was then drunk with loud
applause.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed, "the health of the
President of the United States." (Loud cheers.)
Dr. M‘GowAN, in briefly speaking to the toast,
said all Americans resident abroad must feel sincere
admiration for President Lincoln. Many of them
had been precluded by absence from discharging
their duties as citizens at home, and therefore they
were enabled to approach the consideration of pend-
ing questions with calmness and moderation. None
who had carefully studied the events of Mr. Lin-
coln's administration could wonder that the Ameri-
cans resident abroad felt that his past conduct was
a sure guarantee that their nationality would be
preserved. (Hear.) A year ago it was not so. Then
it seemed as though successful treason had left them
without a country. Like most Europeans, they (the
absent Americans) mistook the forbearance of their
loyal fellow countrymen for indifference, and their
hearts had failed them. It was however but for a
moment. The unanimous support accorded to the
President in his determination to restore the Union
in the recalcitrant States, the firmness and modera-
tion, the humanity and conservatism, which he had
exhibited in this trying moment of their country's
history, afforded ample evidence that he was in
every way equal to the crisis. (Hear, hear.) He felt
assured that Mr. Lincoln would maintain the ma-
jesty of the law without vindictiveness, and that
when rebellion should cease to jeopardise the
national existence, he would be found a magnani-
mous and a worthy representative of a Christian
people. (Hear, hear.) They might confide in
the patriotism of the President, and that, as far
as in him lay, the fair heritage from their fathers
should be handed down intact to their children ;
that their empire would be preserved from the At-
lantic to the Pacific, including as a necessity the
absolute control of the Gulf of Mexico, mare nos-
trum—in other words, that if their erring brethren
of the South would not be their fellow-eitizens they
should be their subjects. (Cheers.)
Mr. G. THOMP SON also spoke to the toast, and
observed that Mr. Lincoln was entitled to the sym-
pathy, respect, and admiration of all men both in
his private character and as the elect of a great
nation. Some attempts had been made in this
country to create a feeling of hostility to the
Northern States, but he could say from experience
that those efforts had failed. He had addressed
many meetings at Manchester and other manufac-
turing districts ; but, although the working classes
were necessarily suffering severely from the present
condition of affairs, yet he found among them a
unanimous desire for absolute non-interference on
our part. (Hear, hear.)
The toast was drunk with long-continued ex-
pressions of applause.
Dr. M'GowAN proposed " Our country," which
was responded to by Mr. SHEPARD.
The next toast was " The Union."
Mr. FREEMAN MORSE, United States' Consul in
London, said the Union was a never-fading senti-
ment in the heart of every loyal American where-
ever he might be. It was the morning and the
evening prayer, the thought by day and the dream
by night, that the glorious Union might be pre-
served one and indivisible.. (Cheers.) There was
no time for him to enter upon an examination of
the various causes which had brought their country
into its present position, but the glorious Union
which had been formed for such noble purposes must
endure. The Union had established liberty ;it per-
petuated justice; it secured human rights, founded
upon the marvellous Declaration of Independence,
which would live when then the columns of palaces
had crumbled into dust, when the old moss-covered
cathedrals of the country had mouldered away,
when its titled families with their pictures and
statues had passed into forgetfulness—that Decla-
ration would still live to proclaim the mighty
fact that all men were created free and equal.
(Cheers.) Governments were formed to protect life,
liberty, and property. For those purposes the
Union was formed, and they meant to make the
Union perpetual, even if every man's life were to be
made a sacrifice for it. (Cheers.) There had always
been a thorn in the American side—one planted
two-and-a-half centuries back. It was slavery. The
Constitution had not recognised slavery, but it was
only a matter of State sovereignty. But the Union
was not to be broken by any State at will. The
Union had great powers to exercise and great duties
to perform, and those duties it was performing now.
He was sent to this city as Consul, not by one or
any number of States, but by the Union of 33 States,
which were covered by one national flag. What was
it that gave them a high position in the world but
the union of all the States ? There was no provision
in the Constitution that any single State could
break the union, and when he was asked, as he some.

times had been, " Why not let the South go P' he
replied that there was no power to let them go with-
out destroying the Constitution. There was no
doubt that slavery was the cause of these troubles,
but the Constitution had never declared that one
man had a right of property in his brother man.
(Hear.) Slavery was no national institution, but
it had been fostered in the Southern States until it
had grown from comparatively small beginnings to
its present stature. Slavery had induced the South
to exert every art and chicanery to obtain power,
to get up Mexican wars, to threaten Cuba, to fili-
buster in Central America, and at last they de-
manded that slavery should be recognised as a na-
tional institution. They threatened that, unless the
Government recognised slavery north of the Mis-
souri line, they would go out of the Union. When
the present troubles were first threatened a Com-

mittee of Congress was appointed—one member for
each State, and of that committee he was a member.
They called upon their Southern brethren to state
their grievances, and various propositions were
made, but not one word of complaint was made of
tariffs or taxation. (Hear.) He therefore was con-
vinced that nothing but slavery was the cause of
their dissatisfaction. (Hear.) When South Carolina
promulgated her Act of Secession there was no com-
plaint of tariff or taxation, but the grievance was
slavery. (Hear.) Mr. Breckenridge, the Southern
candidate for the President's chair, in his platform
or declaration of principles, did not sefer to taxa-
tion ; and, further, he would remind his hearers that
Mr. Palk, the candidate of the South at a former
election, had inscribed upon his banner "Palk and
the Tariff of 1842." (Hear.) From beginning to
end it was slavery, slavery. The South wanted the
North to go back to barbaric ages and to aeknow-
:edge that one man had a right of property in an-
other. Then came the bombardment of Sumter and
the stealing of the national property in n^ .
ways, although that process had bP, -
years before. When Flora

ail UM
...,11 going on for

and his confederntes
, 0010 deposited in national arse-,4

were in office the 0

nals were gradually withdrawn from the free States

and sent into the slave States, of course with a
view to the results which were to follow. Conse-
quently, when the crisis came the North was almost

entirely disarmed, while the South was quite pre-
pared for a fight. What, then, could the North do
but wait until they could make arms and soldiers P
When people in England thought that the North
had done nothing, let them consider what their con-

dition was. It took Prance or England seven or
eight months to train a soldier so that he was fit to
enter upon the field, but the United States Govern-

ment, although it had raised 530,000 or 600,000
volunteers, who were ready to risk their lives and
fortunes to preserve the Union, yet required time to
manufacture those volunteers into soldiers. The de-
lay that had occurred had been a wise delay--
-(hear)—and the fruits would be seen presently.
There was now a noble army of 600,000 men deter-
mined to preserve the glorious Union. When that
was done they could lay aside their weapons and
return to their peaceful homes and pursuits. (Hear,
hear.) As to slavery, he could only say he thought
it was almost worth a war to have brought about
the present revulsion of feeling concerning it in the
North, which had awakened to the consciousness of
the vast evil that was growing in their midst,
(Hear.) The free people of the North would not
relax an effort until this detestable rebellion was
crushed, and he would venture to predict that be-
fore another anniversary of Washington's birthday
came round the Union would be one and insepara-
We, and the glorious old flag that waved above them
would again be acknowledged in every one of the
33 States. (Cheers.)
Mr. CYRUS FIELD (New York) gave the toast
of " England and America." After referring to
the reception of the Prince of Wales in America,
the American expedition in search of Franklin,
and other incidents as proving the warn and
kindly feelings entertained in the United States
towards Great Britain, he said there could be no
doubt, however, that the cordial feeling between the
people of the two countries had of late been some-
what impaired. Designing and corrupt men on both
sides of the Atlantic had done all in their power to
create hostile feeling between the two countries.
The mistaken zeal of Commodore Wilkes had been
represented as an intentional insult to the British
flag. On the other hand, the American people had
been led to believe that Great Britain intended to
acknowledge the independence of the so-called
" Confederate States of America." All present must
be aware that the act of Commodore Wilkes was
unauthorised by the American Government, and
was not intended even by that officer himself as an
insult to Great Britain. Having a personal ac-
quaintance with the President and almost every
member of his Cabinet, he knew that, next to crush-
ing out this wicked rebellion, their most earnest
desire was to maintain friendly relations with the
British Government. (Hear, hear.) He was now
in England to do what he could to carry out an
enterprise which he believed would bind the two
countries in the closest bonds of friendship—he re-
ferred to a telegraph across the Atlantic. (Hear.)
He did not believe for one moment that the English
Government could recognise the Southern Confe-
deracy as an independent Power, nor did he believe
they would do aught to assist in founding a govern-
ment the corner stone of which was avowed to be
slavery. (Hear.) The present struggle had been
compared by some to the war of 1776, but the War
of Independence was a just and holy war—the up-
rising of loyal but oppressed men. It was inau-
guarated by the purest patriots ; its watchword
was " Liberty ;" its leader was Washington. (Hear,
hear.) The war now being waged against the
United States was the most unrighteous rebellion
the world had ever seen. Inaugurated by men who
had failed in their political aspirations, its watch-
word was " Slavery," its leader the repudiator of
the Mississippi bonds. (Hear.) England could
never recognise a government emanating from such
sources. It had frequently said, "Let the South go;
you can never live happily with them." He could
only say that if they could not live happily together
under one government, they certainly could not as
two nations. (Hear, hear.) There was no great
natural boundary between the North and the South.
The United States would remain an undivided
country from the great lakes and the St. Lawrence
to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and they would at the earliest practicable
moment remove from themselves the great curse
that had brought the present troubles upon them.
(Cheers.) England could never be jealous of the
rising greatness of her own offspring; nor could
America feel anything but pride in the power of
the great country from which a majority of her
people were descended. (Cheers.) That the friend-
ship between Great Britain and the United States
might be as enduring as the cliffs of Old England
herself was the prayer of every true American hear
(Cheers.)

Other toasts—" Literature and the Press," "The
Poets of England and America," and " The Ladies"
—were given, and the company dispersed shortly
after 7 o'clock.

THE SCOTS FUSILIERS AT ST. JOHN'S.

The Colonial Empire, published at St. John's,
New Brunswick, gives the following account of the
reception given to the Scots Fusilier Guards and
other troops on their arrival at that place :—" With-
out in the slightest degree attempting to glorify
the doings of our fellow-citizens, and of the ladies
of St. John's, in their bountiful hospitality to toe
soldiers now here, yet we must say, in fair justice
and all impartiality, that everything has been done
that the New Brunswick idea of entertainment
could devise to welcome the brave men who have
come among us, and to give them that hearty and
right loyal reception they so well deserve. On Jan.
23d the ear shed at the railway station, some 400
ivet long and about 60 feet wide, admirably warmed
and ventilated, was thrown open for the reception
of 900 men of the Scots Fusilier Guards, for each
of whom there were a seat and a well-filled plate of
the best our market could provide. Ham and turkey
were the staples, but there was every other sort of
good things besides. The vacant space was fully oc-
cupied by ladies, and there was certainly a good
display—there they were, not by scores, but by
hundreds—the fairest and most beautiful women in
all British America; after this assertion we defy
all corners. The brigade band discoursed sweet
music as the guardsmen marched in with that regu-
larity which only thorough discipline can enforce;
and they were in a remarkably short space of time
seated at table with such quiet and precision thatit
was hardly possible to conceive that 900 men were
fully seated and ready for an onslaught upon the
bountiful supply of good things before them. The
address of welcome was delivered by the Hon. C.
Watters, her Majesty's Solicitor-General, after
which grace was said by the Rev. Mr. Donald ;
then the feast began in earnest. We should require
a host of reporters, if we even attempted to describe
what was ' said or sung,' upon this glorous occa-
sion. All those who saw nine hundred splendid
men of the Guards richly dressed, and among them
their ,drummers and fifers in fancy costume, with
their pipers in the tartan, will long remember the
gorgeous scene and all its attendant circumstances.
Neither our limits nor the time at our command will
enable us to give more than a brief notice of this
festival. We must not omit to say that the Roth-
say Riflesin their Scottish costume formed the guard
of honour. At 6 o'clock in the evening there was
another display, for the third time, of fair women
and brave men, in the basement of the Union-street
Chapel. Some 140 of the Commissariat Staff and
Artillery were entertained most sumptuously—and
as the tables were laid out and amply provided for
300, the vacant seats were occupied by ladies and
gentlemen of the city, who seemed to enjoy the fun
amazingly. The address of welcome
was
feasting
delivered
by
Mr. William Wedderburn very
earnestly and effectively, grace was said by the
Rev. Dr. Richey, and when the good things had
been discussed,
much good tinging, with hearty, generous feel-
there were addresses, and songs, and
ing, s that when our reporter left there was `a
cull good-tide' of all that was genial and joY-
ous, If the efforts of the ladies and gentlemen
e
of St. John's fail to secure the good wishes 1f the
gallant soldiers now passing on to Canada, it
cer-
tainly will not be for want of exertion."

GREAT SHIP COIIiPANY.

The report of the board of directors, to be pre-
sented at the ordinary general meeting of the com-
pany on Friday. At the time of the special general
meeting in November last the Great Eastern was at
Milford Haven, and the interval since has been
occupied in preparing the new paddlewheels, after
stern post, and rudder shaft, so that no delay should
take place in completing the repairs: One of the
paddlewheels has already been fixed in place; and
the other is in a forward state. In their construc-
tion an additional number of arms have been intro-
duced, and the efficiency of the diagonal braces
improved. By these means the general stiffness of
the wheels will be very considerably increased.
The after stern post has been reconstructed, and is
being fixed in place. To facilitate this operation,
and to reduce the time necessary for the ship to
remain on the gridiron, a cofferdam has been built,
which encloses the rudder of the ship ; the work can
thereby be continued without interruption at all
states of the tide. It may be well to remark that the
after stern post does not form any material part of
the hull; its principal use is in stiffening the keel
or prolongation of the ship's bottom beyond the
screw, in which the rudder works. The unsound
portion of the rudder shaft, which gave way during
the gale, has been replaced by one of larger dimen-
sions, by which a considerable increase of strength
will be obtained, and the recurrence of a similar
disaster prevented. In the event, however, of any
fracture occurring, the proportions of the new rud-
der shaft have been so disposed that the second or
lower steering apparatus will be available for steer-
ing the ship; this has already been fixed in place.
The internal fittings, boats, &c., have been repaired,
and there is no doubt that the cost of the works
will not exceed the amount estimated in Nov. last.
Every effort is being made to complete the fixing
of the after stern post, so that the ship may be floated
by the next springs, if the tides serve—otherwise,
she cannot be removed from the gridiron until the
middle of the ensuing month. The proprietors have
been already informed that the hull of the ship was
perfect in every respect, and this has been further
confirmed by an examination made since she has
been placed on the gridiron. The bulkheads, doors,
&c., exhibit no indication or trace of having under-
gone any strain. The opinion of the committee
appointed to inquire into the causes which led to
the return of the ship and into the conduct of
Capt, Wallace is appended to the directors' report.
The directors have given much consideration to the
subject of the future employment of the ship. Over-
tures have been made to them for placing her in the
Indian trade, but they consider that the financial
position of the company would not justify them in
incurring the expense of outfit for so long a voyage,
unless there was a more decided probability that the
receipts would exceed the expenditure; they have
therefore determined upon again sending her to
New York, with every confidence that she will com-
mand a considerable share of the freight and pas-
senger traffic during the ensuing season, and that
by a judicious economy in every department, this
employment may be rendered remunerative. The
date of sailing will be advertised at the earliest
opportunity. The directors announce with great
regret that continued ill-health has compelled Mr.
Baker to relinquish the duties of chairman. He has
consequently resigned that office, but they rejoice
that they still have the benefit of his co-opera-
tion as a colleague; they have subsequently elected
Mr. Wm. Barber to fill the chair. The capital ac-
count has been charged with the amount of verdict
and costs given in favour of Mr. Russell—the amonnt
paid to Mr. Lungley in satisfaction of his claim for
extra work and the cost of alteration to the bearing
of the screw shaft, the fitting of feed pumps to the
boilers of the paddle engines, sheathing the main
deck, &c., all of which works were rendered ne-
cessary by defective construction in the first in-
stance and the requirements of the Board of
Trade. The action brought by Mr. Parry re-
mains on the same footing as at the ordinary
meeting last year. No steps have been taken by
him, beyond obtaining an extension of the time for
making the award under the reference to Ist of
June next. The working account for the year
(exclusive of the September voyage) exhibits an
excess of expenses over receipts of £5,660 ss. The
expenses comprise wages daring the alterations
previously referred to, interest on debentures, and
other items, which would not have been greater had
the ship been constantly employed during the whole
year; the receipts, on the other hand, are for two
voyages only, the first of which, to New York, was
commenced, as the proprietors will remember, under
the most unfavourable circumstances. The special
account needs no comment—further than apart from
the actual pecuniary loss resulting from the dis-
aster, the directors deplore that the company were
thereby not only deprived of the opportunity of
offering the ship for the transport of troops (a ser-
vice which the experience of the Quebec voyage
had proved to be profitable) but also of employment
in the New Yerk trade, at a time when the rate of
freights was most remunerative. It will be neces-
sary to make arrangements to meet the debenture
loan falling due on the 31st May ; although the
directors do not anticipate difficulty in renewing the
debentures or placing them elsewhere. A balance
of £6,670 remains to be issued on account of the
second series of debentures, which amount it will be
necessary to raise to defray the cost of coals, stores,
&c., for the next voyage.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT--APPLEBY, FEB. 21.
Mr. Justice Mellor arrived at this ancient town
on Wednesday night, opened the commissjon, and
went to church. Mr. Justice Willes remained at
Lancaster to finish the criminal business.
At this place there were rumours of an important
charge of arson to be tried, on which three actions
against different insurance offices are said in some
measure to depend. This brought over an unusually
large attendance of the bar.
The calendar contains the names of only two pri-
soners—one charged with burglary in a farmhouse,
and stealing some articles of trivial value, and the
charge of arson of a flax mill. There was no civil
business.
Mr. Justice Mellor took his seat shortly after 10
o'clock.
Having disposed of the charge of burglary,
Francis M'Connell, a sharp, intelligent-looking
young Irishman, aged 19, was charged with felo-
niously setting fire to a mill and warehouse on the
14th July last, belonging to the Holme
Company, whereby the mill and warehouse and
large quantities of flax and machinery were con-
sumed, with intent to defraud the company, the
proprietor, and several insurance offices, the intent
being varied in different counts.
Mr. Overend, Q.C., Mr. Higgin, and Mr. Ed-
wards prosecuted; and Mr. Monk, Q.C., and Mr.
Holker defended the prisoner.
The mill and warehouse in question which the
prisoner was charged with having set fire to are
situated near Burnton, and close to the railway be-
tween Lancaster and Carlisle. The mill was five
stories high, and employed as a flax mill, and ad-
joining it, but a separate building, was the ware-
house offourstories. Between the mill and warehouse
j a communication was made by iron gangways, with
-a space of 10ft. between them. In the bottom of the
warehouse was a quantity of tow ready to be spun
into yarns, and a very large stock of yarn packed
away in the top stories. The floors were of wood,
and the building was not fire-proof. A wooden door
communicated with the gangway. The three
bottom floors of the mill were partially fire-proofed
with blue slate, but the two top floors were not—
the door from the mill to the gangway was of iron.
On the 14th of July last there was a large quantity
of tow on the second floor of the warehouse, and on
the third floor of the mill there was a" tow-shaker,"
and three heaps of tow left. It further appeared,
from the opening statement of the learned counsel
for the prosecution, and from the evidence of the
witnesses that the mill had formerly belonged to
and been worked by a Mr. Waith man, who getting
into debt to Mr. Finlay (a gentleman living in
Ireland) for flax supplied, Mr. Finlay eventually
became the owner of the mill. For two years
he did not work it ; but not being able to let it
he determined in 1860 to work it himself,
and he sent over hands for that purpose from
Ireland. On the 9th of July in that year he
caused the mill, machinery, and stock to be insured
in the Sun, the Manchester, and the Imperial
In-
surance offices, the mill for £4,950, the machinery
for £8,350, and the stock for £6,925. The prisoner
was aware of the amount of h
the value of the mill which 11,t1ris insurance, and of
. Fin lay had wished
to dispose of,and had only had an
dalachinery ; and from
offer of some £6,000
to £7,000 for it, including the
workman
named Brown,
he appeared to
conversations hehad withthat
if
burnt when so insured it
would be a profitable table thing for Mr. Finlay. The
mill, began to work in August, 1860, the machinery
was old,
and from various causes the mill did not
profitably worked. The appear to have been
pri-
soner, been employed on
it appeared, had formerly
llster Railway as a clerk and newspaper
the
boy, and he was sent over by Mr. Finlay to
work at the mill. He had no defined
duties, and was at first employed in affixing
tickets to the bundles of yarn spun, But he
was invested with a kind of superintending
authority by Mr. Finlay, and acted as
a sort of master, giving orders to the work-
people, although his wages were only 10s, a-week.
He had sole control in the warehouse, and appeared

to be high in the confidence of Mr, Finlay ; nor had
what had since transpired shaken that confidence,
as Mr. Finlay's solicitor had appeared on his behalf
when brought before the magistrate on this charge.
After he had been some months so engaged, word
came from Mr. Finlay that some of the men were
to be discharged, and that the mill was to be worked
short time, and the wages of the men to be reduced.
This gave great dissatisfaction to the workpeople.
But before the time arrived when this reduction was
to be effected the mill was burnt dots n. The mill
stopped working at 2 o'clock on Saturday, the 13th
of July, at which time everything was left safe. On
Sunday afternoon, the 14th of July, Mr. Aiken, the
manager, saw everything safe. The iron door of
the mill leading to the gangway was bolted on the
inside, and the key of the wooden door of the ware-
house leading to the gangway was left in the
door outside, the door being locked. No one could
enter without getting into the mill, the key of which
was in the possession of a man named Constantine,
whose duty it was to lock it up. There was a win-
dow at the back of the mill, by which an entrance
could be obtained into the mill by those who were
aware of it, and the prisoner was; and once in the
mill, access could be got by the gangway to the
warehouse. The mill was seen safe by a workman,
who was with his children in the mill yard adjoin-

ing his cottage at 11 o'clock that night. About
that time a workman named Templeton saw a man
coming in a direction from the mill and warehouse on
the premises, whom he took to be the prisoner, but
would not swear to him. Another workman named
Brown, also saw a man coming along the railway
bank near the mill, who, on seeing him, went across
the land to a wall, over which he got into a road
leading from the mill. This man, from his dress, he
believed to be the prisoner, but he would not posi-
tively swear to him. About 11 o'clock a workman
living near saw the warehouse on fire from his
cottage, and ran to the alarm hell of the mill, which
he rang. At that time there was a large fire in the
warehouse, and also in the mill. A great number
of persons were assembled to try and put out the
fire, but the mill was gutted, and the warehouse
barnt down. An examination led to the conclusion
that the premises had been set on fire wilfully, as
both mill and warehouse were on fire at the same
time, and,the fire had evidently not communicated
across by the gangway. The loose tow in the second
floor of the warehouse, and also that on the third
floor of the mill, were each on fire. No one could
enter those floors because of the fire, and yet it was
observed that the trap doors in the floors of the
warehouse, which had all been closed on Saturday,
were all open, and fire fell through them to the
bottom storey ; and a subsequent examination
showed that the iron door of the gangway, which
had been bolted, was found open. While the fire
was burning a workman coming to assist saw a man
crouching in a corner of the wall in the road adjoin-
ing the mill, watching the fire, who ran away at
his approach, and who he believed to be the pri-
soner from his dress. It was found also when a fire-
engine, kept on the premises, was attempted to be
worked that the hose, which appeared all right on
Saturday, had the part which affixed it to the
engine removed, which must have been done by
some one on the premises. On that Sunday the
prisoner had been invited to a christening by the
workman Brown, but he said he could not attend
it and gave no reason why; and it appeared that
from 7 o'clock on Sunday night till 5 o'clock next
morning the prisoner, without giving any reason,
had been absent from his lodgings. On the part of
the prosecution it was suggested that he was the
man who had been seen about the mill on the Sun-
day night, and that he had been in the mill and
warehouse, and had set fire to both. He did not
come near the fire till 5 o'clock next morning, and
never offered to render any assistance, In conse-
quence of these various circumstances suspicion
attached to him, and he was questioned as to where
he had been that night, and he gave three different

statements, one of which was that he had walked to
Morecombe to take the steamer for Belfast, and
found it had started and come back ; that he walked
about Hestbank all night, as he could not go into a
publichouse without money. When asked how he
would pay his passage he said he would mention
Mr. Finlay's name, and he would see it paid. He
had left money with his landlady at his lodgings
which he had not asked for. It was a very rainy
night, and his clothes were not wet or dirty. The
other accounts of where he had been were inconsis-
tent with this, and one of them was proved to be
untrue. In consequence he was closely questioned
by gentlemen named Bond and Thomas, connected
with one of the insurance offices. To r. Thomas
on one occasion he said " I am determined to make
a clean breast of it." Mr. Thomas said " Well,
what is it?" He then turned round and said "No,
I wont tell you any more." The prisoner left some
weeks after the fire for Ireland. Subsequently a
reward of £250 was offered to find out the incen-
diary, and when told of this reward by one of the
insurance agents the prisoner said " Och, it is a
small sum. Sure I know what the mill was in-
sured for ; if you go home it will get bigger." The
reward was doubled, but elicited no further facts
than those stated, on which the prisoner was taken
into custody and committed for trial. On the part
of the prosecution it was contended that there was
strong evidence to show that the mill and ware-
house were fired by design, and that there was rea-
sonable ground to come to the conclusion that the
prisoner had done it.

- On behalf of the prisoner it was contended that
the evidence against him amounted to nothing more
than vague suspicion, and that the hope of the re-
ward had prompted a good deal of it.
The case occupied all day till near 8 o'clock, and
was then adjourned to this morning.
The learned Judge, in summing up, directed the
attention of the jury to two points—first, whether
the evidence satisfied them that the fire was not the
result of accident or natural causes, but must have
been the work of an incendiary; and secondly,
whether, if they believed it was the act of an in-
cendiary, the prisoner committed that act. The
prosecution were bound to satisfy them on both
these points, and if they failed in either the prisoner
ought to be acquitted. On the first of these points
the evidence was clear, and rendered so by the testi-
mony of numerous witnesses, who from early obser-
vation demonstrated that each fire must have
had a separate origin. On the second the evidence
was not so satisfactory, and the statements, charac-
ter, and conduct of some of the witnesses were
liable to observation. The prosecution had been
under the cruel necessity of suggesting some motive
for the act imputed to the prisoner, and in doing
so had cast some refiexion on Mr. Finlay, no party
to the trial, which had been borne out. After
carefully commenting on the evidence of the various
witnesses who spoke to having seen the prisoner
on the Sunday night near the mill, and to the pri-
soner's account of his absence from Holme during
that time, and to his previous character, the learned
judge left the case to the jury, who retired, and
after a short absence returned a verdict of not
guilty:

This case, which lasted till 2 o'clock on Friday,
concluded the business of the assize.

CARLISLE, FEB, 22.
Mr. Justice Willes arrived in this city from Lan-
caster yesterday afternoon and opened the com-
mission. Mr. Justice Mellor arrived in the course
of the evening from Appleby.
The calendar here, in the nature of the crimes
charged, is exceedingly heavy. No less than five
persons are charged with wilful murder. The
calendar includes the names of 17 prisoners.
There were only three causes entered on the
cause list, and of these one was withdrawn.
Their lordships sat at ten o'clock.
(Before Mr. Justice Willes.)
In the course of the day a number of prisoners
pleaded guilty, and several minor charges of lar-
ceny were disposed of.
Ann Shaw, aged 39, was indicted for having, on
the 24th of December last, stolen a large quantity
of linen in tablecloths, sheets, napkins, aprons, and
other articles, the property of Sir Wilfred Lawson,
of Brayton-house.
efenner was hired as house-
tioMn,ra.nd m Campbell
r.moFuobsrteeyr
da p p e
da reeddt
hfoerptrhi
seopnreors.e c u -
It appeared that the
Lawsonprisoner
in September, 1860,
Lawson, assisted by
she Wilfred
came,
Lady
in-
ventory of the linen
her rde hebreofutoosreeSmi ar i d n d I a dny 'tshe maid,ho oms
eakdoee
poeuets arno
m
which with the keys of the linen chests was
handed over to the prisoner, she having sole charge
of the linen. She had a married sister called Mann
who lived in Edinburgh, and various large parcels
were sent by the prisoner to her sister, without ex-
citing suspicion, in the course of last year. In De-
cember last she was found in a state of intoxication
in the house, and this being brought to the notice
of Sir Wilfred Lawson, she was summarily dis-
missed his service. On her successor receiving the
keys of the linen chests and the inventory the linen
was called over for the purpose of being checked,
when a variety of linen articles were found missing.
It was then recollected that the prisoner had sent
various parcels addressed to her sister in Edinburgh,
and a policeman was sent there, who found the pri-
soner at her sister's house and told her his errand.
She denied having any property whatever belong-
ing to Sir Wilfred Lawson. The officer told her he
must search her boxes. She said he was welcome,
and a search was made, which resulted in finding a
quantity of napkins, aprons, toiletcovers, some
chintz, and a large quantity of tea. On seeing these
articles found the prisoner said she was very sorry
she had taken them, that they belonged to Sir Wil-
fred Lawson, and he was welcome to take them.
The officer said he must also take her with him.
Next day the house of her sister was again searched,
and 12 sheets and a further quantity of linen Were

found, which were proved to be the property of Sir
Wilfred Lawson.
The prisoner was found guilty, and senteliced to
three months imprisonment and hard labour.
The charges of murder stand over for Monday.
CIVIL COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Mellor.)

ADDISON V. ROWLANDS. and
This was an action for assaulting, beating, ,1
wounding the plaintiff with a walking-stick, all:
injuring his nose. The damages were laid at X3°"'
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Maule appeared for the plaintiff, and Air.
C. Foster for the defendant.
The plaintiff, it appeared, is a tailor living at a
village near Maryport, and employing two appren-
tices; and the defendant is a maltster and innkeeper,
living near Cockermouth. On the 28th of Novenr
ber last there was a coursing match in that neigh-
bourhood, which was attended by a great many
persons, and among them were the plaintiff and the
defendant. On the course was a small strain'?
crossing a field, and the dogs were about to run!
course at the other side of this stream, which it
became necessary to cross, and the plaintiff's cal'
was that as he was jumping over this stream, whic"
he said was about a yard across, a loose coat which
he had over his shoulders flapped against the de"
fendant, who was also jumping over at the same
time. The defendant in consequence abused him ie
strong language, asked him his name, which 11
refused to give, and, meeting him in the field Wl'
an hour afterwards, took a thick stick out of the
hand of a bystander, and without any warning
struck him a violent blow on the shoulder, again ell
the arm, rendering his arm powerless, and thee
struck him full on the face, cutting his nose, stunning
him for a quarter of an hour, and making his ose
bleed violently. He went home, and was attended
by a surgeon, and unable for a month to attend ty
his business, whereby he lost the profit of his wor,;
and of the work of his two apprentices, and had I.c,
pay a doctor a guinea for attending him, and
nose had since been partially stopped up.
The defendant's case was that the brook in ques-
- was a couple of yards wide and very full with
the rain, and was deep and rapid; that as the de'
fendant, who is a man rather lame and turned
(the plaintiff being a young man), was in the act°
jumping over it, having taken a run to do it, the
plaintiff ran behind him, gave a loud shout, "NO'
old and, jumping the brook at the same ie.
stant, put his hand on the shoulder of defendant,
and nearly sent him backwards into the brook, 011
of his legs going in. The defendant was angry at
this, and asked him what he meant by it, trying to
put a man into the water old enough to be his father.
The plaintiff replied it was only a joke, and the de"
fendant asked him his name, which ha refused t°
give, and the plaintiff went off after the course. Ihe
less than 10 minutes defendant again came up
him in the crowd, and, borrowing a walking-stich•
struck the plaintiff a couple of blows over the o°3'
asking him at the same time, "Is that ajoke The
plaintiff appeared to be going to attack defendant'
and the defendant repeated the blow again. This
blow glanced off the plaintiff's arm as he warded l!
off on to his nose, and made it bleed, cutting t,'
skin. The plaintiff then seized a big stone Or
threw it at the head of the defendant, who ducked
and it went over his back, and the plaintiff then gel, t
a stick and was about to fight the defendant, bLe'
was prevented by a bystander interposiag. "e
plaintiff's nose was dressed with some whisk/
and brown paper, and he remained on the course:
So far from being kept at home, he was out at
considerable distances almost every day aft,all
going two miles to see the doctor, who PI
piece of plaister on his nose, and to his attorney'
and within 10 days was at another coursing mate
He never complained to the defendant or asked I.or
compensation, but commenced this action by servief
the defendant with a writ as the first notice of
and it was suggested that it was purely an atte.l:
ney's action, which ought to have been settled I"
the County Court, and for which very trittiege
damages would be adequate compensation for ,t7l,
assault, which it was not denied had been commit
His Lordship having summed up the evidence;
telling the jury that the plaintiff was entitled t(), r
verdict and to reasonable damages such as, nflubee
all the circumstances, they might think ought to
given.
The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff-4)a..
wages £B.