The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-24 00:00:00

THE RENDEZVOUS OF THE FLEET.

Various reports are in circulation as to the destina-
tion of the three squadrons into which the Spithead
fleet has been divided. We believe the following report
from the Plymouth ?jail to be the correct one : " We
hear that the large Channel fleet, which is now sepa-
rated into divisions, under their respective commanders-
in-chief, and each ordered on detached cruising service,
will form a junction in the course of the next month,
and will all rendezvous at Queenstown, about the 17th
or 18th of September, to meet the Board of Admiralty
on their tour of inspection."

The Times has assumed, erroneously as a matter of
course, that the death of Sir George Cockburn creates a
promotion vacancy. Such is not the fact. It does not
necessarily follow that another admiral of the fleet will
be appointed. Sir George Cockburn's promotion was a
special one, on account of his distinguished services.
Unless, therefore, it is otherwise determined, the only
vacancy to be filled up by the decease of the illustrious
admiral is that of rear-admiral of the United Kingdom.
The appointment, however, of major-general of Ma-
rines, as we stated on Monday, by the last flag regula-
tions, is abolished, and it was understood that the
salary, 9801. per annum (according to Allen's New
Nary List), was to be divided into distinguished service
pensions. Should this arrangement be carried out,
there will be no less than six promotions of captains to
the active flag list, which will include Commodore Lord
Adolphus Fitzclarence, Captains the Hon. M. Stopford,
and H. D. Chads, C.B. ; Commodore Lambert, Captain
A. Ti E. Vidal, Captain Hope, and the following to the
reservad half-pay list :—Captains Percy Grace, H.
Dundas, the Earl of Hardwicke, J. Leith, and Lord
Colchester. And in the event of those promotions tak-
ing place, four captains' good-service pensions and two
appointments of A.D.C. to the Queen, together with the
appointments of the command of the Royal yacht aqua-
drcn, flag captain, and captain superintendent at Sheer-
n, the second in command in India, and the command
of tue Excellent and superintendentship of the Royal
Naval College, will be relinquished, and fall to the pa-
tronage of Sir James Graham. Promotions of the usual
proportion of commanders to the rank of captain, lieu-
tenants to the rank of commander, &c., will also follow.
Herald.

MANSLAUGHTER OF AN OFFICER IN HER

MAJESTY'S CUSTOMS.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. W. Carter, coroner for East
Surrey, held a long inquiry at the Rising Sun Tavern,
Bermondsey, relative to the circumstances attending the
death of Mr. Wm. Stone Gampton, an officer in her
Majesty's Customs, aged 43.
Mrs. Elizabeth Gampton, the widow of the deceased,
deposed that on the 11th of April last the deceased left
home to go on duty, being at that time in exceedingly
good health. He returned home in the evening, and
appeared extremely ill, his face being dreadfully cut and
bruised. He also had a large lump at the back of h;s
head, which he said caused him great pain. Although
deceased continued to complain of the back of his head,
he refused to leave off attending to his duty until the
29th of May, when he was obliged to apply to Dr.
M'Williams, the Medical Inspector of Customs, who
attended him until the Ist of July, when, having be-
come quite insane, he was removed to St. Luke's Hos-
pital, where he expirel on Wednesday last.
By the Coroner—Witness had heard how the injuries
were inflicted on the head and face of deceased, but was
not with him when he received them.

Dr. M`Williams, Medical Inspector of Customs, de-
posed that when he was called in to attend the deceased
on the 29th of May, he examined his (deceased's) head,
and found traces of effusion or ecchymosis behind the
left ear, but there was no wound. He (deceased) com-
plained of violent headache, giddiness, impaired vision,
and weakness. From these appearances he (witness)
was of opinion that deceased had received a blow on the
back part of the head, and was suffering from compres-
sion on the brain. Had no doubt that the state he
found the deceased in was the result of violence.

Mr. William Taylour, Acting Surveyor of Customs,
of 88, Princes-road, Bermondsey, stated that ca the
11th of April last, about five o'clock in the evening,
the deceased came to his house, accompanied by a man
named Patrick Sullivan, who stated that he was a detec-
tive officer, and said that the deceased had stolen a boat
cloak he was carrying, and also that he knew the
deceased had taken a man named Jesse for smuggling,
and that he would be revenged, and would not leave him
until he had examined the cloak. Witness told Sulli-
van that if he were an officer they had better go to the
police-station, where he (Sullivan) could examine the
cloak, and they accordingly started to do so, but had
not gone above 100 yards when Sullivan stopped and
said, "Oh you mean to go to the police-office, do you ?"
and immediately afterwards struck the officer on the
face and head, and knocked him down, and afterwards
kicked and fell upon him. Witness then dragged Sulli-
van off deceased but he made his escape, and was ulti-
mately taken into custody by Inspector Bowlas, of the
Thames police, while endeavouring to get into a boat on
the river Thames. A charge was preferred at the South-
wark Police Court against Sullivan, who admitted the
assault.
By the Coroner—When the deceased got up from the
pavement he staggered about a great deal and com-
plained of a violent pain in the back of his head. The cloak
which Sullivan accused the deceased of stealing belonged
to witness.
By Mr. Cumberland—Sullivan was not a detective
officer.
Mr. Henry Stevens, the resident medical officer of St.
Luke's Hospital, deposed that when the deceased was
admitted into that establishment ho was decidedly insane.
When walking he staggered about a good deal, and had
considerable difficulty of speech, indicating pressure on
the brain. Deceased progressed favourably for some
time, but gradually sank and expired on the 17th inst.
Witness made a post snorters examination of the body,
and found the viscera of the chest and abdomen healthy.
On examining the skull could not discover any fracture,
but there was a large shot embedded in the forehead above
the right eye, which, however, had nothing to do with the
cause of death. On removing the skull he found an enor-
mous clot of partially coagulated blood occupying almost
the whole of the left side of the brain, the quantity
being fully two ounces pressing upon the brain. The
effusion arose from the rapture of one of the vessels of
the brain, and was the immediate cause of death, and
had evidently existed some considerable time. There
was also another spot of blood at the base of the brain,
partially absorbed, and which, from pressing on the
brain, caused him to stagger about. He had no doubt
the effusion was the result of concussion by a blow or
fall.
Dr. M‘Williams, on being recalled, said that the death
of the deceased had arisen from the violence inflicted.
Mr. Robert Brown, a superannuated officer of the
Customs, stated that the deceased received the shot
found in his forehead about twenty-two years ago, when
in the coast guard.
Several other witnesses having been examined,
The Coroner summed up, and the jury returned a ver-
dict of "Manslaughter against Patrick Sullivan," and a
warrant was placed in the hands of Mr. Inspector Bowlas
for his apprehension.

THE SMYTH CASE.—Sir Frederick Thesiger, it is un
derstood, is going to give the public " a full, true, and
particular account" of the great Smyth fraud.
CLAPHAM LITERARY INSTITUTION.—On Wednesday
the members of the Clapham Literary and Scientific In-
stitution, with their fi lends, went in a special train of
first-class carriages, to spend a day at the Rye House.
The train reached the Rye Station at 10 o'clock, and the
company quickly dispersed themselves over the grounds,
a considerable number of them soon finding their way to
the water's edge, whence they took boats, and rowed,
,
some up the river to Amwell, others down the stream
towards Nether Hall. The morning was fine,
and the
party, about 200 in number, appeared t
hadg to
enjoy
cricket
etkfhoeert
goods which the gods and Mr. Teale
them out of doors. These consisted of a
in the meadows between membersA and non-members,
tre"ga&rdeens excellentdunrin
boating,Loud on palracyheedr
pleasantly during
themorning,
bandrnog fromaud
altogether time passed
dinner hour, when the company enough, until the
cold collation prepared in the
was filled by Dr. Gartie, supported sat down to a capital
jun., ex Secretary, Mr. Stevens,oarrtgeed Hhyalliir.TThoephchaaroir,
and was kept
Wil-
liams, Vice-President, and
followed, Secretary, Mr. u
otthoertrenuitleumsieen.
of Dancing
followed,
superior band with great spirit; quadrilles, waltzes, and
polkas following in rapid succession until six o'clock,
when tea was served, after which dancing was again re-
sumed until 8 o'clock, when they left for London. The
Institute is one of the most flourishing in the suburbs of
London ; its success is owing in no slight degree to the
zeal and energy of the officers both past and present.
EMBEZZLEMENT BY A MERCHANT'S CLERK AT LIVER-
POOL.—A respectable-looking young man, named John
Lacourt, a collecting clerk for Messrs. Bowman, Grin-
nell, and Co., merchants and shipowners, at Liverpool,
was yesterday brought before the borough magistrate,
charged with having embezzled his employers of the sum
of 2201. Evidence conclusive of his guilt being then
adduced, Inspector Kehoe, of the detective force, was
called, and he said the prisoner admitted the embezzlement
when taken into custody. On being asked what he had
done with the money, he stated that he had been unfor-
tunate in his bets at the last Liverpool races,
.andhad
appropriated the money to his own purposes. in conse-
quence. and llen
The prisoner, who is an activ f
th einte
young man, has been in the employ
until within a iecent o proigse cut -
tors for the last few years, and _
period every confidence waa reposed in him. Latterly
he mixed himself up with the betting-offices, a number
of which exist in Liverpool, the result of which is re-
lated above. The prisoner, who had nothing to say in
his defence, was fully committed for trial. Perhaps
the most painful part of this case is the fact, which try t
spired in court, that the prisoner has for some time been
almost the sole support of a mother and several brothers
and sisters.

sJV

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