The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY).

OLD COURT,
(Before the Recorder.)
Mary Lewis, 41, married, a respectable looking woman,
was indicted for stealing a ham, valued at 125., the pro-
perty of Chas. Price.
Mr. Robinson defended.

It appeared that the prisoner, who is the wife of an
artist, had gone upon Saturday evening into the shop of
prosecutor, who keeps a cheap ham and butter shop at the
corner of Sua-street in Bishopsgate. The wife of the pram-
castor, who was in the shop, stated that from some suspicion
which she had she told the shop boy to watch her, and he
having told his mistress that she had a ham under her cloak,
Mrs. Price at once went up to her, and, according to hor
statement, felt the ham under her arm, and that it fell to
the ground. She was then given into custody to an officer
who was called in. Prisoner indignantly denied the
charge, and said she had only picked up the ham to have
it weighed. At the station she gave her right name
and address. She had nine shillings and some coppers
upon her when secured. The policeman said there '‘'ee
not any marks of grease upon her dress, which would have
been the case if she lad put the ham under her arm.
The jury acquitted her, and the recorder directed her to
be at once discharged.

NEW COURT.
(Before Russell Gurney, Esq.)
Thomas Morris, Elizabeth Jackson, and a man named
Riley, were indicted for coining, and also having in their
possession a large quantity of base coin.
It appeared that from something which had taken place
at tho Bow-street Police-court, the police went to No. 440
Charles-street, Drury-lane, and having gained admission,
went up to the front room, first floor, the door of which
they forced, and as they entered Jackson was trying to
break a plaster of Paris mould by crushing it with his foot.
The female seized hold of one of the officers and struck at
him with a basin. The prisoner Riley ran past the police,
but was taken into custody. In the room were found a
quantity of base half-crowns, shillings, and sixpences,
moulds, eleetro-plating apparatus, and other implement.
used by coiners. The prisoner Riley did not appear to take
any part in the proceedings, and had only been known is
the house for a week, occupying a room upon the same
floor as the other prisoners.
The Juiy acquitted Riley, Awl found the others guilty.
Both being well known to-the Mint authorities, Morrie
was sentenced to six, and Jackson to four, years' penal
servitude.

OPERA COMIQUE, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—Her Royal
Hichness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anna
Maria Dawson, Lady Caroline Harcourt, Lord James"
Murray, and Colonel Harcourt, honoured the first per'
formance of the opera La Promise, at the St. James's
Theatre, with her presence last evening.
THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—Yesterday was the first dal
on which this vast undertaking was opened to the
public, and a very large number—probably mere than
4,000 persons—chiefly season ticket holders, availed
themselves of the first opportunity of inspecting the
varied and interesting works of art there displayed. The
Pompeian house, the Alhambra, the Renaissance,
Italian, and Byaintine courts appeared to be decidedli,
the favourite resorts, and their contents and mural and
monumental decorations were examined with great
interest and delight. The company's band played at
intervals during the day, both in the Palace and the
grounds. The dais and orchestral seats, and some other
of the temporary structures fitted up for the opening,
ceremony, still remain in their places. As the contents 0'
many of the cases fitted for the reception of industrial pro'
ducts, and which were only lent for the occasion of the
opening, have been removed, several of the courts We
a much more bare and unfinished appearance than- they
presented on Saturday. Time, however, and some et'
perience as to the value of the exhibition in an industriel
point of view, may soon do much to fill the Palace with
the trophies of industrial skill.
"HALF RECKONINGS" IN INDIA.—Some months ago
Lord Dalhousie called the attention of the Court of Dl'
rectors of the East India Company to the question 01,
the "half reckonings," telling them it was high time i 0
do away with the disreputable practice of paying VI
colonels of regiments by cribbings from the Sepoysi
clothing, and suggesting the substitution of a flxoll -
money payment in the same manner as has within
the last few days been carried into effect in her Ma'
jesty's service. The chair and the deputy chair dream
up a P.C., which means a previous communication, or
draft of a despatch, in which these worthy pieces 01
' directorial furniture reproved " our Government" f°r
his suggested innovation, asking when such "danger'
ous changes" would end. To the credit of the body 1);
directors, however, the draft of despatch was disapproved
of, and one drawn up for the approval of the Board 01
Control entirely approving of the suggestion of Lora
Dalhousie, and directing the arrangement to be forth'
with carried into effect. This despatch was duly trans;
witted six weeks ago. Our readers may rest assured of
the entire accuracy of this statement.
NEW PROJECTILE.—A correspondent of the Z191:11
Courier states that a tradesman belonging to that tow_ll,
has, in compliance with a summons from the Board 611.
Ordnance, proceeded to Woolwich for the purpose,°
submitting to the military authorities there the Prim'
ciples of a destructive engine designed and constructed
by him. The instrument is denominated a " Lougit
dinal projectile." It is about four feet in length, rhaY_A"-
fired from a cannon, and will " hit to a hair" any °bier
at a distance of five miles. On being shot from °I
cannon it expands like an umbrella, explodes the moruo"
it alights, and causes instant annihilation to every n3l:
rial for many yards around. It will, it is said, cause'.
immediate destruction of the largest ship in the world
and and one or two charges would, in a few seconds, el.r.
pate the finest army that ever marched to music,
substance beyond " inflammable matter" le used.