The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-07 00:00:00

THE 11ENRI

We are assured (says the Debats) that Admiral Hame-
lin has not yet lost all hope of floating the Henri IV.
This operation, always so difficult, would be in present
circumstances, under the enemy's fire, a success per-
haps unheard of in the annals of the navy. It is known
that Captain Jehenne and the crew are still on board
the shipwrecked vessel, which they are endeavouring to
lighten completely, and which keeps the enemy at a dis-
tance with her guns."

PASSAGE OF FRENCH TROOPS THROUGH
PIEDMONT.

In the sitting of the 2J, of the Piedmontese Chamber
of Deputies, An the estimates for Public Instruction
being moved, M. Brofferio, the leader of the extreme
Left, begged the Cabinet to explain its policy before the
supplies were voted. A French regiment, he heard,
was to pass through Piedmont. Whenever foreign troops
had entered the country, they had, he said, entailed suf-
ferings upon it. These troops supported a despotic
Government ; were they going to Paris or to the Cri-
mea? By allowing them to pass through, Piedmont
would be taking part in the war; now this war was not
a war of principles, but a war of personal ambition. A
journey of M. de Persigny to Turin had been spoken of.
It would be painful to see Piedmont drawn into an
alliance, where Fithee and England are being joined by
Austria, who would thus stand side by side with Pied-
mont. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, in reply, ex-
pressed his regret that the speaker should have entered
upon a political discussion quite uncalled for by the
subject before the Chamber, which only related to
the budget of Public Instruction. The policy of the
Government, he said, consisted in displaying coldness
towards another State until it should have received such
reparation as was due to it. With other Governments
Piedmont entertained friendly relations. As to the war,
it was well known on which side her sympathy lay, but
to sympathise and to contract an alliance were two diffe-
rent things. Were an alliance ever to be contemplated,
the Government would consult the Chambers. The
passage of French cavalry was to take place on ac-
count of the difficulty of conveying it by sea, and he
could not see how Piedmont could compromise her
neutrality by such a step. As to M. de Persigny's
journey, the Government was not informed of it.
M. Moia remarked that a declaration of sympathy
mad* by a Minister is the Chamber, had some import-
ance, and that the passage of French cavalry was
dangerous, as it gave an advantage to one of the Belli-
' gerent parties. The Minister replied that he maintained
the word sympathy, which expressed no hostility towards
any Government, and that the passage of troops could
not be considered an advantage for a belligerent at such
a distance from the scene of action.

MILITARY RIOT AT CHATHAjI.

ROCHESTER, DEC. f.
Early this morning a most violent outrage was com-
mitted by a large party of soldiers belonging to the 18th
(Royal Irish) Regiment, by which several police con-
stables belonging to the force of this city have received
serious injuries, and one of them—police constable
Tassell—of such a nature that his life is despaired of.
Since the 18th Regiment has returned from India it
has been quartered at Chatham Barracks, the men, on
the whole, bearing a good character in the town for
their orderly and peaceable demeanour.
Lately a great many volunteers have been taken into
the regiment, chiefly from the 24th Regiment, as the
former corps is ordered to the Crimea. These on Thurs-
day last were marched from Brompton to Chatham
Barracks to join their new regiment. On the men
having been told off they resolutely refused to leave the
ground until they had received 1/. bounty money, to
which they were entitled for having volunteered. Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Edwards promised them that they
should be paid in full the following morning, and the
following day each man was paid. Since that time the
town and neighbourhood have been one scene of
drunkenness; debauchery, and riot.
On Tuesday night, soon after " tatoo" had been
sounded, a number of the 18th commenced scaling the
barrack wall, and proceeded to visit the several public-
houses, making a disturbance in each. Several of them
were observed to be armed with bludgeons and pieces
of wood, with which they paraded the streets, finally
making their way into this city, where several of them
entered the North Foreland public-house between 12
and 1. The landlord, seeing their conduct was likely
to become violent, called in police constable Tremaine,
and that officer after much entreaty persuaded them to
leave. As soon as they had reached the street, their
conduct became very violent, and the constable, being
by this time joined by several others, followed them for
some distance, to see that no breach of the peace
was committed. Whilst so following them, one of
them htirled a large flint at police-constable Smith,
which struck him in the eye, and partially deprived
hints of his sight. The assailant was at once
secured by the officers, and was being conveyed to
the station-house, followed by about a dozen of his com-
rades. On their way thither the oenstables were fre-
quently assaulted, until they arrived at that portion of
St. Margaret's Bank facing the Custom-house, where
the soldiers fell upon the constables in a most savage I
manner. The latter blew their signal whistles, and Po-
lice-constables Jenkins, G. Tremaine, Tassel], and others,
were soon on the spot to render assistance. By this
time the soldiers had quite overpowered the peace officers,
whom they were striking with bricks and stones whilst
they lay upon the ground. They also got the trunoheens
away from them, and with these they inflicted terrible
injuries. Police-constables Smith and Tremaine were
so injured, that it will be sonic time before they can res.
sumo their duty. Police-constable Tassel], however,
received the most serious injuries, as whilst he lay on
the ground, after being knocked down, he was repeatedly
struck on the head with a brick, which was afterwards
found covered with blood and hair, and also kicked about
the face. When rescued he was quits insensible, and
though Dr. Ely has been unremitting in his attendance
upon him, ke is not expected to recover from the effects
of the violence he has endured.
Superintendent Tuff, seeing, the force at .his disposal
was not sufficient to cope with the soldiers, sent off to
the barracks for the assistance of the military, a strong
party of which soon afterwards arrived. During the in-
terval the soldiers continued their brutal outrage on the
constables, and were only stopped by the arrival of the
soldiers, when several of them made their escape. The
sergeant succeeded in arresting six of those who appeared
to be the ringleaders, and marched them off to the bar-
racks for confinement.
This afternoon the six prisoners, giving their names
John Cavanagh, George Clark, Michael Leahy, Thomas
Stikzly, George Summers, and James Sullivan, all pri-
vates belonging to the 18th Regiment, were brought
eroebrought up
before the city magistrates for examination,the charge
of outrage and attempted murder. Evidence was given
to show that Tassel], the constable, who was so ill that
forng a week, to ascertain been given, the whole
he was not expected to survive ; and the statements of
ot the
the
p
eot herri constablessoners 1, er
e
the fate of the unfortunate police-constable.
The prisoners were escorted to the justice-room by a
strong body of the military, through a great crowd which
lined the neighbourhood.

POCKET•PICKING IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.—Two
ladies from Chesterfield had their pockets picked by
44 two gentlemen of very prepossessing appearance,"
whilst travelling a short time since in a railway carriage
from Nottingham to Derby. On arriving at the latter
station the loss was discovered, but not until the
" gentlemen," whose agreeable conversation had be-
guiled away the time en route, had disappeared amongst
the crowds of passengers who alighted. An instrument
had been used, 'which had cut through the dress and
skirt, as well as the pocket, of the ladies.