The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-24 00:00:00

ASSAULT OF ARMS.

Last evening we had the pleasure of witnessing an
" assault of arms," or in less romantic language, a
series of interesting assaults with the foil, straight
sword, sabre, and bayonet ; and, lastly, with the
naked sabre, at the Armoury House, Finsbury, by
members of the " Ancient and Honourable" Artillery
Company, and of the Lond,n Amateur Fencing Club,
assisted by Professor Gandini, Gillemand, Harrison,
and Arnold. The banqueting-room was attended
by a number of visitors, by a goodly muster of the
Artillery Company in uniform ; and, lastly,
though not least, many eminent officers in
the regular service who evinced much interest
in the exhibition which, we should premise, was,
under the direction of Captain and Adjutant Bossy,
Captain Iselin, and Lieutenant M‘Leod.
Amongst the officers present we noticed—Colonel
Angelo, Major Angelo, Major Neville, Captain
Wingfield, Captain Gilbert, and Captain A. Vande-
leur, of the Royal Horse Artillery; Lieutenant and
Adjutant J. Wightman, Lieutenant H. Phillips,
Lieutenant and Adjutant J. S. Hope, and Lieutenant
W. Elliott, of the Royal Artillery; Captain Mac-
quary, of the 54th Regiment of Foot, Captain Mor-
rison, Captain Boulton, of the Royal Navy ; Lieut.
E. 0. Leggatt, 35th N.I. ; Lieutenant Proby, Capt.
Thompson, Quartermaster and Commissary-General
Oliphant, of the Royal Horse Artillery; Lieutenant
Edindoro, 19th Foot; and Major Rotherdon, of the
Military College, Sandhurst.
The following is a list of the assaults :
Mr. 011invin, Sergeant Twhy ; Mr. Winterbottom,
Mr. Arnold; Mr. Tenniel, Mr. Shury; Mr. James
Wilson, Mr. Harrison ; Mr. George Chapman, M.
Leon Gillemand.

STicx.—Mr. Robinson, Mr. Tenniel ; Mr. Winter-
bottom, Corporal Munday ; Sergeant Twhy, Mr.
Robinson.

FoiL.—Mr. Henry Chapman, Mr. Arnold ; Mr.
James Wilson, Mr. Tenniel.

SABRE AND BAYONET.—M. Leon Gillemand, Ser-
geant Twhy. _ _ _ _ _ _

FOIL.-kr. Shury, Mr. Arnold; Mr. George Chap-
man, Mr. Harrison.

SABRE.—Signior Gandini, from Milan, M. Leon
Gillemand, from Paris.
The assaults, without an exception, were executed
with much grace, modesty, and bearing temper,
though we thought Mr. Robinson and Mr. Winter-
bottom in the single stick encounters struck with
too much earnestness and gave blows on the bodies of
their antagonists which must have been felt rather
severely. The fencing with foils was the finest we
have ever witnessed, and evinced the skill and adroit-
ness which may be acquired by practice in the arts—
not merely for the purpose of amusement (and per-
haps there is no more healthy or exhilarating exercise,
or one which brings the muscles into more healthy
play or promotes a better carriage of the body) but for
the purpose of self-defence with the sword whenever,
unhappily, two men may come in to such close and despe-
rate contact. The Artillery Company, whose age dates
as far back, we understand, as the reign of Henry
VIII., who was their first Colonel (they are now
under the Colonelcy of Prince Albert), have rendered
essential service to this ancient city during riots, and
when threatened with invasion ; it is now a matter for
congratulation that riots are undreamt of, and invasion
merely a name that this ancient body still keeps up
its ancient prowess, esprit de corps, and is as ready to
do the country service as in the past. By promoting ex-
hibitions of this kind, they will, we think, do essential
service. The assault with the sabre was a terrific
exhibition, and showed the proficiency which may be
attained in this mode of encounter • that with the sabre
and bayonet in the use of which Sergeant Twhy
showed himself most skilful and proficient, and that,
even with so apparently cumbersome an instrument of
warfare, a sabre, in able hands, may be kept at hay
for some time, and the skill of Messrs. Gandini, Gil-
lemand, Arnold, George Chapman, Wilson, Harrison,
&c., were amongst the assaults and combatants most
applauded. The amateurs were all worthy of their
teachers.

INSTITUTIONN FOR 'THE DEAF AND DUMB, 26,
RED LION•SQUARE, BLOOMSBURY.—The exertions of the
committee of the above praiseworthy society for pro-
viding employment and teaching trades to the adult deaf
and dumb appear to be attended with the most en-
couraging success. The male inmates, who are in the
course of instruction under well qualified hearing
masters, are attaining the requisite knowledge of the
trades of shoemaking and tailoring, and it is confidently
anticipated that each of the present inmates, before
long, will be enabled to sustain themselves by their own
industry. It is, however, a subject of much regret—(it
was stated at a recent meeting)—that the applications to
the institution on behalf of the destitute deaf and dumb
by far exceeds the resources of the charity; and an ear-
nest wish was expressed that the co-operation of the be-
nevolent would not be wanting in the carrying out of so
charitable a purpose.
BRUTALITY OF A FATIIER.—At the Rochdale
police office4on Monday, u little girl named Sarah Ann
Firth came to the table, and, on the New Testament
being presented on which to be sworn, and being re-
quested to take it in her right hand, she replied she
could not—it was broken. She then was allowed to
take the book in her left hand while the oath was ad-
ministered. On being asked to state her complaint, she
said she was 13 years of age, and she prayed for protec-
tion against her father, who had struck her with a brush
and broken her arm. She had her brother with her,
who confirmed this statement, and said they
wished the Magistrates to prevent the father from
coming near them, as they were in danger of their lives
from him. He also added that his father had been
brought before them in 1845, for the same offence, viz.,
cruel treatment towards his children. The magistrates
severely reprimanded the prisoner for his brutal treat-
ment towards his children, and said if another complaint
of that nature should be again brought before them, they
would inflict the heaviest punishment upon him the law
allowed. This monster of a father pleaded passion as
an excuse for this treatment to his child, and said she
would not obey his orders. He was ordered to pay ex-
penses and find security for his good behaviour to his
children in future.

MELANCHOLY SHIPWRECK....-TWO LIVES LOST.—
On Tuesday last, while the sloop Pomona, belonging to
Mr. Alexander Grant, of this town, was on her way
from Aberdeen to Thurso, and while rounding Duncans-
bay Head, with a strong gale of wind and a heavy sea
running, a tremendous wave broke over her, washing
overboard her whole crew, Donald Calder, George
Calder, and John Swanson. The latter fortunately got
hold of a rope, and, with the assistance of a passenger
(who narrowly escaped by clinging to the mast), managed
to get aboard again. The other two men were never
seen more. The same sea carried away her companion,
part of her bulwarks, and split her squaresail to
tatters. Swanson, as soon as he got aboard, got her
head turned to land, and ran her ashore on a sandy
beach at Duncansbay. Both of the poor fellows who
were lost were natives of Dunnet, but residpiencgte,idn
thatth'a
town. Donald Calder has left a wife and four in family,t
and George Calder has left five. It isex.
if the weather proveEsrrfayvosuErasbslleoNssh.e
will Mr. Alderman
be got off._.
CacitlliTnressrColLirlocnEidre.
Sal
ward,o m °us,
presidedthe
for Alderman the first
time as a magis-
trate for the City of London with Sir Chapman Marshall.
Upwards of forty omnibus drivers and conductors were
fined for loitering with their vehicles along Cornhill,
Poultry, and Cheapside' to the obstruction of the general
traffic.
Bird, a lad in the service of Mr. Good,
of Peckham, was fined 50s. and costs for acting as a
drover, he not being duly licensed. J. King was also
fined for employing a dog to drive a herd of cattle. It
would appear that the drovers are allowed a dog in
driving sheep, but not cattle, as being calculated to
irritate the beasts, thereby place the public in peril.