The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-13 00:00:00

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SPOIL,'

OTES.

A PEEP AT COVENTRY.

The meeting which will take place to-morrow at Co-
ventry is the only important " picture" of the week. It
possesses attractions sufficiently powerful to command
the attention of metropolitan speculators, although the
races " set" for decision are like'Ly to be marked by no
incident of enduring interest. So little thought of, in-
deed, are the different events at present that a discussion
of the probable result of the sport seems scarcely neces-
sary. Looking at the comparative chances of the horses
as they appear on paper, I am inclined to believe that for
the Handicap they are in favour cf Little Davie, Georgey,
and Massaroni. That the intended of Wadlow's horses
—either Bourton or Trout—will carry off the Steeple-
chase, is generally regarded as a foregone conclusion ;
and the success of Theodine for the Hurdle Race may
make the winners sing " Happy Land." By the way, a
board, near the course at Coventry, states that " This
Land may he soh/ to advantage," an announcement
which may have peculiar significance if considered in
connection with this event. At any rate, before com-
mencing " operation" on Theodine, it may be as well
to reflect whether the ominous suggestion of those words
is likely to be carried out.

The betting on the leading event,.4 of the season is now
conducted with increasing activity. For the Derby a
strong currei.t of prejudice has set in against Autocrat,
whose partisans, however, still buoy him up, though
somewhat unsteadily, on the sea of speculation. The
recent running of Hungerford and Orestes has too some-
what shaken the confi ience of King Tom's supporters,
who, however, still boastingly proclaim their belief in
the horse's superior pretensions. Dervish has advanced
two or three points in the betting, and notwithstanding
the demonstrations which are occasionally made in favour
of his stable companion Acrobat, the opinion as to his
being the champion of his stable is gradually obtaining
confirmation. Wild Huntsman has re appeared in the
list of quotations with increased prominence. He is
said to be greatly improved, and his partisans evidently
do not lack confidence in his racing ability.

A FRESH MAN.

March 13.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OS BO RN E, SATURDAY.

The Queen and Prince, accompanied by the whole
of the Royal family, and attended by the ladies and gen-
tlemen in waiting, arrived at Osborne yesterday at a
quarter before two o'clock.

SUNDAY.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert, with the Prince of
Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and Princess
Alice, attended by the ladies and gentlemen in waiting,
embarked on board the Royal yacht Fairy at a quarter
past twelve o'clock yesterday, for the purpose of inspect-
ing the Baltic fleet at Spithead, which was ordered to
sail at one o'clock for its destination.

Sir James Graham, First Lord of the Admiralty, and
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, also embarked in
the Fairy, and had the honour of attending her Ma-
jesty.

A royal salute having been fired from the ships on the
Queen's approach, signal was made for Vice-Admiral Sir
Charles Napier, Commander-in-Chief, and all the Rear-
Admirals and Captains to come on board the Royal yacht,
where they severally had the honour of being presented
to the Queen by Sir James Graham. On their return
to their ships, the order having been given to weigh in
succession, each ship sailed past the royal yacht, which
had proceeded towards the Nab Light, manning their
rigging and cheering as they passed. The Queen re-
turned to Osborne at a quarter before five o'clock.
The Duchess of Gloucester is better.

The Duchess of Kent attended Divine Service yester-
day morning in the Chapel Royal, St. James's ; Lady
Fanny Howard was in waiting on the Royal Duchess.
In the afternoon her Royal Highness visited the Duchess
of Gloucester, at Gloucester-house.

The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Fanny
Howard and Lord James Murray, went to Frogmore on
Saturday, and returned to her residence, Clarence-house,
St. James's in the afternoon.

Prince Leopold of S.lxe Cobourg left town on Friday
evening for the continent.

Mr. John Wood, chairman of the Board of Inland
Revenue, and Mr. PreAsly, had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on Sturdy at hid official
residence in Downing-street.

Sir James G!ahani left town after the Cabinet Council
on Friday afternoon for Portsmouth.
A deputation from the vestry of Richmond, consisting
of Mr. Win. Chapman, Mr. Henry Smith, and Mr.
Richard Brewerr, had an interview with Sir Win. Moles-
worth on Sato,l,Ly at the office of Works and Public
Buildings in Whitehall-place.

The Right Hon. the Speaker's fifth Parliamentary
dinner, on Saturday last, was attended by the following
members of the House of Cominons S—The Earl of
March, Lord Wrn. Graham, Hon. Captain Maxwell, Sir
Edmund Filiner, Sir Jelin Wal-.11, Sir H. Halford, Mr.
Bowyer, Mr. G. B. Butt, Colonel Blair, Mr. Packe, Mr.
Vansittart, Mr. Bentinck, Mr. Edward Ball, Mr.
Spooner, Colonel Sibthorp, Mr. Macartney, Mr. Cairns,
Mr. B. Coles, Mr. Fri-slifield, Mr. Repton, Mr. Matins,
Mr. Irton, Mr. Knatchbull, and Mr. Frewen. Pre-
vented—Mr. 0. Morgan, Mr. Newdega.te, Mr. Davison,
Mr. Masterman, Mr George, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Bur-
roughes. The Speaker will hold his second levee on
Saturday, March 18, at 10

COLONEL THOMPSON AND THE HORSE

GUARDS.

The notice, in the House of Commons, of the hon.
member for Westminster, General Sir De Lacy Evans,
that he would, on the first " Supply night," ask a ques-
tion about the stoppage of promotion of Colonel T. Per-
ronet Thomson, is very suitable for throwing light on
the disgraceful circumstances by which the country is
deprived of the services of an old Peninsular officer of
four clasps, who has seen service in every quarter of the
globe, and who is struck out of the list at the moment
when his acquaintance with Eastern diplomacy might
make him of the highest use. Obviously, the assigned
cause is very different from the true one ; for the alle-
gation that the Department are not in possession of
the declaration of the officer's readiness to serve, is
controverted, not only by his own affidavit that it
had been sent in, but is confirmed by the affidavit
of a brother officer. It is a rule in the House of
Commons, that a member's word, given in the presence
of the house, shall always be taken as true. The conse-
quences which would ensue on any discovered abuse of
such a privilege, are guarantees for the wisdom of its
admission. Do officers in the army stand in a different
position from members of the House of Common. ; and,
after all the parade made before civilians of army honour,
and so forth, do they virtually refuse to believe one
another on affidavit ? INT,iw, in the case of Colonel
Thompson, here are two officers of the army who hive
sworn to the receipt and return of a certain document,
conveying a declaration of readiness to serve when
called on ; and this the Horse Guards refuse to
admit, on the ground that they do not find it among
the papers of their predecessors. To say nothing
of the general impolicy of such a struggle, tl:e pub-
lic will ask, on which side the balance of evidence lies.
Two men swear that a receipt was asked and given ;
the third man, the receiver's heir and successor, says—
"l have not got it." What would a jury say ? The real
cause for the injustice is, that the military department
of the Government being independent of, and irre-pon-
Bible to, the civil department, there exists in the former
a strong leaven of the old Tory faction, who cannot for-
get the numerous and efficient services of Colonel Thomp-
son in the popular cause ;—in refuting the fallacies, and
combating the obstacles, which were presented to retard
or prevent every great measure of practical reform, for
the last 30 years and upwards, from the Emancipation of
the Slave, the passing of the Reform Act, the Repeal of
the Corn Law, measures now matter of history, down to
obtaining Vote by Ballot, ani the Aboli ion of Flogging
the Army, measures yet to be realised. These labial i.s in the
Popular cause are not to he overlooked by some who are
influential at the Horse Guards, and we see the petty
mode in which they act in the affair. There is a fitness,
in the notice of General Evans fixing a cc Supply night"
for asking the question, because --thanks to what there
is of a popular nature in the Constitution—even the
Horse Guards can derive their supplies only through the
House of Commons, and an attempt to act in defiance of
the voice of the country, is something which may lead
even to the Horse Guards being rendered amenable to the
civil power. An attempt to place the militia under an in-
fluence independent of the House of Commons was one
of the main causes for the important events which
occurred in this country in the middle of the seventeenth
century. Sir De Lacy Evans—himself a brother-officer
of rank and mark, and representing the chief city in the
Empire—the seat of Government and of the four Courts
of Law—institutes an inquiry on behalf of his consti-
tuents, which will be supported by every other popular
constituency; nor will the subject be permitted to drop,
until the injustice has been removed, and the wrong re-
dressed.—Bradford Observer.

TIM BANE OF FRANCE.--The account of the Bank
of France for the four weeks ending the 9th inst. is
favourable, and shows, for the first time for many
months, an improvement in the stock of bullion, the
increase having been equal to 450,0001. This increase
is attributable partly to the limitation of commercial
engagements in consequence of the war, as shown in a
reduction of discounts to the extent of nearly 1,200,0001.,
and partly to the sums drawn from this side by the state
of the exchanges. A continued diminution of the ad-
vances on stocks and railways is also assisting the resto-
ration of the Bank to a healthy position. Previously to
the present return the drain of specie had been incessant
since August last, and the total taken away had reached
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